The Great Prophecy
by NairaMisaki1234
Summary: I suck at summaries, guys. So just read. This a Percy Jackson AU. DanxRuno, ShunxAlice etc...
1. My Teacher Attacks Me

**Hey Guys!**

 **I had promised 'The Grat Prophecy' to Percy Jackson and Bakuagn Battle Brawlers Fans! This is a BBB story on Percy Jackson AU.**

 **HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY!**

Look, I don't want to be a half-blood.

If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.

Being a half-blood is dangerous.

It's scary.

Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways. If you're a normal kid, reading this because you think it's fiction, great.

Read on.

I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened.

Well, that's because that's what I believed till now...I was proved wrong.

But if you recognize yourself in these pages—if you feel something stirring inside—stop reading immediately.

You might be one of us.

And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

My name is Daniel Kuso - Dan for short.

I'm twelve years old.

Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Gray High Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.

Am I a troubled kid?

Yeah. You could say that.

I could start at any point in my short miserable life to prove it, but things really started going bad last May, when our sixth-grade class took a field trip to Manhattan— twenty five mental case kids and two teachers on a yellow school bus, heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at ancient Greek and Roman stuff.

I know—it sounds like torture.

Most Gray High field trips were.

But Mr. Trevor, our Latin teacher, was leading this trip, so I had hopes.

Mr. Trevor was this middle-aged guy in a motorized wheelchair.

He had thinning hair and a scruffy beard and a frayed tweed jacket, which always smelled like tea.

You wouldn't think he'd be cool, but he told stories and jokes and let us play games in class; a thing which I really enjoyed.

He also had this awesome collection of Roman armor and weapons, so he was the only teacher whose class didn't put me to sleep.

I hoped the trip would be okay.

At least, I hoped that for once I wouldn't get in trouble.

Boy, was I wrong.

See, bad things happen to me on field trips.

Like at my fifth-grade school, when we went to the Saratoga battlefield, I had this accident with a Revolutionary War cannon.

I wasn't aiming for the school bus, but of course I got expelled anyway.

And before that, at my fourth-grade school, when we took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Marine World shark pool, I sort of hit the wrong lever on the catwalk and our class took an unplanned swim.

Well, all except me, the kids were screaming (I didn't think they could scream under water) with the teachers paddling like ducks to try and get the kids closer to them so that none of them would drown. Finally, those guys who worked there helped or rather fished the class out with a fishing net.

And the time before that... Well, you get the idea.

This trip, I was determined to be good.

All the way into the city, I put up with Christine Shacklebolt, the freckly, pink headed kleptomaniac girl, hitting my best friend Marucho in the back of the head with chunks of peanut butter sandwich.

Marucho was an easy target. He was short. He cried when he got frustrated. He must've been held back several grades, because he was the only sixth grader who had a brain like a computer.

On top of all that, he was crippled. He had a note excusing him from PE for the rest of his life because he had some kind of muscular disease in his legs.

He walked funny, like every step hurt him, but don't let that fool you. You should've seen him run when it was enchilada day in the cafeteria.

Anyway, Christine Shacklebolt was throwing wads of sandwich that stuck in his blond hair, and she knew I couldn't do anything back to her because I was already on probation.

The headmaster had threatened me with death by in-school suspension if anything bad, embarrassing, or even mildly entertaining happened on this trip.

"I'm going to kill her," I mumbled.

Marucho tried to calm me down. "It's okay. I like peanut butter."

He dodged another piece of Christine's lunch.

"That's it." I said.

I started to get up, but Marucho pulled me back to my seat. "You're already on probation," he reminded me. "You know who'll get blamed if anything happens."

Looking back on it, I wish I'd decked Christine Shacklebolt right then and there.

In-school suspension would've been nothing compared to the mess I was about to get myself into.

Mr. Trevor led the museum tour.

He rode up front in his wheelchair, guiding us through the big echoey galleries, past marble statues and glass cases full of really old black-and-orange pottery.

It blew my mind that this stuff had survived for two thousand, three thousand years. He gathered us around a thirteen-foot-tall stone column with a big sphinx on the top, and started telling us how it was a grave marker, a stele, for a girl about our age.

He told us about the carvings on the sides. I was trying to listen to what he had to say, because it was kind of interesting, but everybody around me was talking, and every time I told them to shut up, the other teacher chaperone, Mrs. Green, would give me the evil eye.

Mrs. Green was this little math teacher from Georgia who always wore a black leather jacket, even though she was fifty years old.

She looked mean enough to ride a Prado right into your locker.

She had come to Gray High halfway through the year, when our last math teacher had a nervous breakdown.

From her first day, Mrs. Green loved Christine Shacklebolt and figured I was the devil.

She would point her crooked finger at me and say, "Now, honey," real sweet, and I knew I was going to get after-school detention for a month.

One time, after she'd made me erase answers out of old math workbooks until midnight, I told Marucho I didn't think Mrs. Green was human.

He looked at me, real serious, and said, "You're absolutely right."

Mr. Trevor kept talking about Greek funeral art.

Finally, Christine snickered something about the naked guy on the stele, and I turned around and said, "Will you shut up?"

It came out louder than I meant it to.

The whole group laughed.

Mr. Trevor stopped his story. "Mr. Kuso," he said, "did you have a comment?"

My face was totally red.

I said, "No, sir."

Mr. Trevor pointed to one of the pictures on the stele. "Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?"

I looked at the carving, and felt a flush of relief, because I actually recognized it. "That's Kronos eating his kids, right?"

"Yes," Mr. Trevor said, obviously not satisfied. "And he did this because ..."

"Well..." I racked my brain to remember. "Kronos was the king god, and—"

"God?" Mr. Trevor asked.

"Titan," I corrected myself. "And ... he didn't trust his kids, who were the gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters—"

"Eeew!" said one of the girls behind me.

"—and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," I continued, "and the gods won."

Some snickers from the group.

Behind me, Christine Shacklebolt mumbled to a friend, "Like we're going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on our job applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.'"

"And why, Mr. Kuso," Mr. Trevor said, "to paraphrase Miss Shacklebolt's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"

"Busted," Marucho muttered.

"Shut up," Christine hissed, her face even brighter red than her hair.

At least Christine got packed, too.

Mr. Trevor was the only one who ever caught her saying anything wrong. He had radar ears.

I thought about his question, and shrugged. "I don't know, sir."

"I see." Mr. Trevor looked disappointed. "Well, half credit, Mr. Kuso. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan's stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs. Green, would you lead us back outside?"

The class drifted off, the girls chatting, the guys pushing each other around and acting like doofuses.

Marucho and I were about to follow when Mr. Brunner said, "Mr. Kuso."

I knew that was coming.

I told Marucho to keep going.

Then I turned toward Mr. Trevor. "Sir?"

Mr. Trevor had this look that wouldn't let you go— intense brown eyes that could've been a thousand years old and had seen everything.

"You must learn the answer to my question," Mr. Trevor told me.

"About the Titans?"

"About real life. And how your studies apply to it."

"Oh."

"What you learn from me," he said, "is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from you, Dan Kuso."

I wanted to get angry, this guy pushed me so hard.

I mean, sure, it was kind of cool on tournament days, when he dressed up in a suit of Roman armor and shouted: "What ho!'" and challenged us, sword-point against chalk, to run to the board and name every Greek and Roman person who had ever lived, and their mother, and what god they worshipped.

Geez, that's what had helped me learn a few names in Greek and Rome. Quoting 'few'.

But Mr. Trevor expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I have dyslexia and attention deficit disorder and I had never made above a C— in my life.

No—he didn't expect me to be as good; he expected me to be better.

And I just couldn't learn all those names and facts, much less spell them correctly.

I mumbled something about trying harder, while Mr. Trevor took one long sad look at the stele, like he'd been at this girl's funeral.

He told me to go outside and eat my lunch.

The class gathered on the front steps of the museum, where we could watch the foot traffic along Fifth Avenue.

Overhead, a huge storm was brewing, with clouds blacker than I'd ever seen over the city. I figured maybe it was global warming or something, because the weather all across New York state had been weird since Christmas.

We'd had massive snow storms, flooding, wildfires from lightning strikes. I wouldn't have been surprised if this was a hurricane blowing in.

Nobody else seemed to notice.

Some of the guys were pelting pigeons with Lunchables crackers.

Christine was trying to pickpocket something from a lady's purse, and, of course, Mrs. Green wasn't seeing a thing.

Marucho and I sat on the edge of the fountain, away from the others.

We thought that maybe if we did that, everybody wouldn't know we were from that school—the school for loser freaks who couldn't make it elsewhere.

"Detention?" Marucho asked.

"Nah," I said. "Not from Mr. Trevor. I just wish he'd lay off me sometimes. I mean—I'm not a genius."

Marucho didn't say anything for a while.

Then, when I thought he was going to give me some deep philosophical comment to make me feel better, he said, "Can I have your apple?"

I didn't have much of an appetite, so I let him take it.

I watched the stream of cabs going down Fifth Avenue, and thought about my mom's apartment, only a little ways uptown from where we sat.

I hadn't seen her since Christmas. I wanted so bad to jump in a taxi and head home.

She'd hug me and be glad to see me, but she'd be disappointed, too. She'd send me right back to Gray High, remind me that I had to try harder, even if this was my sixth school in six years and I was probably going to be kicked out again.

I wouldn't be able to stand that sad look she'd give me.

Mr. Trevor parked his wheelchair at the base of the handicapped ramp.

He ate celery while he read a paperback novel. A red umbrella stuck up from the back of his chair, making it look like a motorized cafe table.

I was about to unwrap my sandwich when Christine appeared in front of me with her ugly friends—I guess she'd gotten tired of stealing from the tourists—and dumped her half-eaten lunch in Marucho's lap.

"Oops." She grinned at me with her crooked teeth. Her freckles were orange, as if somebody had spray-painted her face with liquid Cheetos.

I tried to stay cool.

The school counselor had told me a million times, "Count to ten, get control of your temper."

But I was so mad my mind went blank. A wave roared in my ears.

I don't remember touching her, but the next thing I knew, Christine was sitting on her butt in the fountain, screaming, "Dan pushed me!"

Mrs. Green materialized next to us.

Some of the kids were whispering: "Did you see—"

"—the water—"

"—like it grabbed her—"

I didn't know what they were talking about.

All I knew was that I was in trouble again.

As soon as Mrs. Green was sure poor little Christine was okay, promising to get her a new shirt at the museum gift shop, etc., etc.,

Mrs. Green turned on me. There was a triumphant fire in her eyes, as if I'd done something she'd been waiting for all semester. "Now, honey—"

"I know," I grumbled. "A month erasing workbooks."

That wasn't the right thing to say.

"Come with me," Mrs. Green said.

"Wait!" Marucho yelped. "It was me. I pushed her."

I stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he was trying to cover for me.

Mrs. Green scared Marucho to death.

She glared at him so hard his chin trembled. "I don't think so, Mr. Marukura," she said.

"But—"

"You—will—stay—here."

Marucho looked at me desperately.

"It's okay, man," I told him. "Thanks for trying."

"Honey," Mrs. Green barked at me. "Now."

Christine smirked.

I gave her my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare.

Then I turned to face Mrs. Green, but she wasn't there.

She was standing at the museum entrance, way at the top of the steps, gesturing impatiently at me to come on.

How'd she get there so fast?

I have moments like that a lot, when my brain falls asleep or something, and the next thing I know I've missed something, as if a puzzle piece fell out of the universe and left me staring at the blank place behind it.

The school counselor told me this was part of the ADHD, my brain misinterpreting things.

I wasn't so sure.

I went after Mrs. Green.

Halfway up the steps, I glanced back at Marucho.

He was looking pale, cutting his eyes between me and Mr. Trevor, like he wanted Mr. Trevor to notice what was going on, but Mr. Trevor was absorbed in his novel.

I looked back up. Mrs. Green had disappeared again.

She was now inside the building, at the end of the entrance hall.

Okay, I thought. She's going to make me buy a new shirt for Christine at the gift shop.

But apparently that wasn't the plan. I followed her deeper into the museum.

When I finally caught up to her, we were back in the Greek and Roman section.

Except for us, the gallery was empty.

Mrs. Green stood with her arms crossed in front of a big marble frieze of the Greek gods.

She was making this weird noise in her throat, like growling.

Even without the noise, I would've been nervous.

It's weird being alone with a teacher, especially Mrs. Green.

Something about the way she looked at the frieze, as if she wanted to pulverize it...

"You've been giving us problems, honey," she said.

I did the safe thing. I said, "Yes, ma'am."

She tugged on the cuffs of her leather jacket. "Did you really think you would get away with it?"

The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was evil.

She's a teacher, I thought nervously. It's not like she's going to hurt me.

I said, "I'll—I'll try harder, ma'am."

Thunder shook the building. "We are not fools, Dan Kuso," Mrs. Green said. "It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess, and you will suffer less pain."

I didn't know what she was talking about.

All I could think of was that the teachers must've found the illegal stash of candy I'd been selling out of my dorm room. Yeah, I wanted to get money for buying some new item from the cafeteria; which I heard was pretty good.

Or maybe they'd realized I got my essay on Tom Sawyer from the Internet without ever reading the book and now they were going to take away my grade.

Or worse, they were going to make me read the book. Let me get something straight, reading is so not in my top priorities.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Ma'am, I don't..."

"Your time is up," she hissed.

Then the weirdest thing happened. Her eyes began to glow like barbecue coals. Her fingers stretched, turning into talons.

Her jacket melted into large, leathery wings. She wasn't human.

She was a shriveled hag with bat wings and claws and a mouth full of yellow fangs, and she was about to slice me to ribbons.

Then things got even stranger. Mr. Trevor, who'd been out in front of the museum a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery, holding a pen in his hand.

"What ho!" he shouted, and tossed the pen through the air.

Mrs. Green lunged at me.

With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear.

I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn't a pen anymore. It was a sword—Mr. Trevor's bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day.

Were my eyes playing tricks on me?

Mrs. Green spun toward me with a murderous look in her eyes.

My knees were jelly. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the sword.

She snarled, "Die, honey!"

And she flew straight at me.

Absolute terror ran through my body. I did the only thing that came naturally: I swung the sword.

The metal blade hit her shoulder and passed clean through her body as if she were made of water. Hisss!

Mrs. Green was a sand castle in a power fan.

She exploded into yellow powder, vaporized on the spot, leaving nothing but the smell of sulfur and a dying screech and a chill of evil in the air, as if those two glowing red eyes were still watching me.

I was alone.

There was a ballpoint pen in my hand.

Mr. Trevor wasn't there. Where the heck did he vanish to?

Nobody was there but me.

My hands were still trembling.

My lunch must've been contaminated with magic mushrooms or something.

Had I imagined the whole thing?

I went back outside.

It had started to rain.

Marucho was sitting by the fountain, a museum map tented over his head.

Christine Shacklebolt was still standing there, soaked from her swim in the fountain, grumbling to her ugly friends.

When she saw me, she said, "I hope Mrs. Seera whipped your butt."

I said, "Who?"

"Our teacher. Duh!"

I blinked.

We had no teacher named Mrs. Seera.

I asked Christine what she was talking about.

She just rolled her eyes and turned away.

I asked Marucho where Mrs. Green was.

He said, "Who?"

But he paused first, and he wouldn't look at me, so I thought he was messing with me.

"Not funny, man," I told him. "This is serious."

Thunder boomed overhead.

I saw Mr. Trevor sitting under his red umbrella, reading his book, as if he'd never moved.

I went over to him.

He looked up, a little distracted. "Ah, that would be my pen. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mr. Kuso."

I handed Mr. Trevor his pen. I hadn't even realized I was still holding it.

"Sir," I said, "where's Mrs. Green?"

He stared at me blankly. "Who?"

"The other chaperone. Mrs. Green. The pre-algebra teacher."

He frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. "Dan, there is no Mrs. Green on this trip. As far as I know, there has never been a Mrs. Dodds at Gray High Academy. Are you feeling all right?"

 **End of Chapter one, guys! Stay tuned for the next Chapter!**

 **~ NairaMisaki1234**


	2. Three Old Ladies Knit The Socks Of Death

Okay, I was mostly used to all these hallucinations by within... A day or two perhaps? And yeah, I know what _hallucinations_ mean.

A few days after that really weird incident, I tried to corner people and spring up about Mrs. Green, but the kids would stare at me as if I was psycho because the so-called pre - algebra teacher, Seera had 'whipped' me.

Seriously, there was no person as Mrs. Seera according to me and there was only a Mrs. Green.

But to the kids in Gray High, they thought the opposite. They thought there was no Mrs. Green and there was only a Mrs. Seera.

With the way all the stuff was heading to, I started to almost believe that Mrs. Green never existed.

Mark my word - 'almost'

But seriously, as much as others fool you, your best friend can't. I tried to get Marucho to spill something, but he denied everything after hesitating. He was a really bad liar.

If this guy would just tell me that the whole campus was playing a prank on me and that all this was a part of some show called - **_'How people get pranked without knowing in Real Life!'_**

I wouldn't care about the embarrassment I would face, but I would be seriously relieved when I would find out that the whole thing of Mrs. Green was a joke.

But no, nothing of that sort happened.

I started to become a victim to bad dreams and nightmares. Every dream, Mrs. Green would be the one waking me up from the nightmares.

Because of all this, my grades slipped from Ds to Fs.

Don't ask, just, don't ask.

I started to get easily irritated and cranky. I started to pick up more fights with Christine Shacklebolt and her buff goons.

I was keeps my all my frustration together, but when my English teacher, Mr. Chuck, a fat bulky man asked me why I didn't learn my spellings, I snapped.

I call him a fat old sot. Now, I'll admit I knew what _fat_ and _old_ meant, but I seriously had no clue what _sot_ meant. Hey! At least it sounded good!

The news of me and my stuff reached the Headmaster and he made it official - I would no longer be invited back to Gray High Academy next year forth.

Part of me was glad and another part of me was sad. It's sort of hard to explain thigh, and I'm not sure if I have enough patience.

Besides, I was homesick, really homesick.

But then, I would miss stuff in Gray High as well : The view of the red woods out my dorm window, the Hudson River in the distance and stuff like that.

I would even miss Marucho, who was weird, but he was still my friend.

I wondered how he would manage without me as all the time we were in Gray High, I protected him from bullies and all. I wondered how he'd manage with me moving away.

And I'd miss Latin class, Mr, Trevor and his crazy tournament days that I admired a lot and of course, the words he told me that he had faith in me.

The exams were drawing closer.

Now, you'd think I was going mad or something, but I started taking Latin pretty seriously.

I don't know why, but the thing Mr. Trevor told me about this subject being life and death for me, well, I started to believe him.

On day, I got so mad that I threw my Latin text book on the floor with so much force that it could have destroyed the place, but luckily, that didn't happen.

I was mixed with with Chiron and Charon. Polydeuces and Polydectes.

And those Latin verbs? Well, I'd like to see you try.

I just gripped the book after I picked it up and headed downstairs.

Now, I didn't actually know what the heck I was doing, but my instincts told me to ask Mr. Trevor for help or maybe an apology for being about to fail on Latin.

And without me knowing, I had actually reached the faculty offices.

Most of them were dark and empty, which was a relief but Mr. Trevor's door was ajar, light from his window stretching across the hallway floor.

It was almost creepy.

I was about to open the door and ask permission to come in, when I heard a familiar voice that was definitely Marucho's said, "-worried about Dan, sir -"

Instead of heading back, I stayed there.

Now before we proceed, I'd like to say that I am not a sneaky brat or something like that. But when your own best friend is talking about you to someone, especially a teacher, you'd definitely want to know what the hell are they talking about.

"-A kindly one at school, they know now, if he knows too-" Marucho's frightened voice trembled.

"No, we must not rush him," Mr. Trevor said. "We need the boy to mature more."

"But sir, he saw her-" Marucho tried interrupting, but Mr. Trevor was quicker.

"The Mist," Mr. Trevor urged. "It will make him forget all about this. As for the summer solstice deadline, it will have to be solved without him."

"But-"

"Do not interrupt," Mr. Trevor said with a serious tone. "Now all we have to worry is to keep Dan alive till next fall-"

When Mr. Trevor said that, I freaked out and accidentally dropped my Latin book.

The talking stopped abruptly.

I picked up the book as fast as I could and before I could shuffle off somewhere, the sliding door revealed a shadow of a guy much bigger than sitting in a wheel chair and something in his hands that looked like an archer's bow.

I scurried into a closet. I was really glad that thing was there, otherwise I would be caught.

I heard clopping, as if a horse was trotting along outside.

"Nothing," Mr. Trevor concluded. "My senses have not been fine since the winter solstice."

"Same here," Marucho said. "But I could have sworn-"

"Go back to your dorm, you have a long day of exams tomorrow." Mr. Trevor said as Marucho groaned, "Don't remind me..."

I waited in that closet for a long time in a conflict of emotions, but then, I made a move.

I made my way back to my dorm and saw Marucho sitting on the bed, studying; as if he had been there all day.

"Hey," he said. "Sup?"

"Nothing.." I lied. I turned away because I didn't want him to read my expression.

He sighed with frustration over the Science he was studying.

I finally heaved a sigh as I got out of the last exam and made my way to the dorm to get my stuff.

I went down and entered the bus along with Marucho.

Marucho started to get fidgety, as if something would attack us.

I was keeping everything together when I asked him, "Looking for Kindly ones?"

He jumped five feet up the air. "How do you know?!"

I was pretty impatient, but I told him about me eavesdropping in his and Mr. Trevor's conversation.

"How much did you hear?" He asked, his eye twitching as if he wanted to kill me right then and there.

"Not much," I said. "What is the summer solstice deadline?"

"Forget about it," He said hurriedly. "Here's my summer address, come there if you need me," He said as he fished out a business card from his pocket.

"Why would I need you?!" I asked him in a harsh tone, which was not intended. But I accepted the card anyway.

The font was cursive, and it was a murder to my dyslexic eyes.

It said:

 _ **Marucho Marukura,**_

 _ **Keeper,**_

 _ **Half Blood Hill**_

 _ **900 - *********_

(A/N: I am not revealing any phone numbers because of obvious reasons)

"What's Half-"

"Don't say it out loud!" he snapped. "That's um.. my.. um...my summer address!"

"Alright.."

Just then, the bus came to a halt.

The driver cursed the bus as he asked all the passengers to get their asses of the bus.

We all piled up in the deserted highway as the driver was murmuring something and was trying to find out what was wrong.

In the other end of the highway, I noticed a fruit stand. And that place was just tempting me.

There were so many things there. Then, I noticed three old ladies knitting gigantic socks.

I mean, the socks were the size of a sweater, but they were clearly socks.

The old hags had white bandanas, white bleached cotton dresses and silver hair.

The lady on the right knitted one, while the lady on the left knitted the other. The lady in the middle was having a basket of electric blue yarn.

Weird thing? All of them were staring at me.

Marucho freaked out, he yelped, "Are they looking at you? Please tell me no.."

"Yeah, weird... Do you think I could alter the size of the socks?"

"Not funny, Dan." Marucho said. "We are getting into the bus right now."

"What? No." I said.

But he had already clobbered in. I stayed and watched as the middle lady took out a large pair of scissors and snipped the line. And I would like to swear that I could hear the snip sound across 5 lanes of roads.

Just then, the bus started. The driver yelled at everyone to get back aboard. I went in and saw Marucho trembling as if he was freezing.

"What did you see?" He asked me.

"I saw those three old hags snip the cord." I said as I sat down.

"You saw them snip the cord.." He mumbled.

"Yeah, so?" I asked, even though I knew it was a big deal. "Marucho, those hags are not like Mrs. Green, are they?"

But his eyes told me that they were something worse than Mrs. Green.

"Promise me that I can walk you home." He said.

It was a strange request, but then, I gave in and agreed.

"The snipping of the cord," I mused. "Does that mean someone's gonna die?"

Marucho looked at me mournfully, as if he was already deciding which flowers I would like the best for my funeral.

 **Well, I guess this chapter was long enough... And another good news - This Fanfic story will have more than 100 chapters (A new record for me)**

 **As you can see, I forgot to name the first chapter so the first chapter's name is - 'I accidentally slice my pre - algebra teacher'**

 **And the second chapter's title was pretty funny! :D**

 **Dan : Sure was.**

 **Me: How the hell did you come here?**

 **Dan: I got bored.**

 **Me : Is that my chocolate?**

 **Dan : Oh... Um... No?**

 **Me : *steaming with anger* DAN KUSO, GET BACK HERE!**

 **Dan : Sorry! I'll pay you back with another one!**

 **Me : I don't trust you!**

 **Dan : Awww... Come on!**

 **Me : The others can come in only when they come into this Fanfic... Till then I have to put up with this idiot... I wish Runo was here...**

 **Dan : R-R-Runo?**

 **Me : Your girlfriend! She is the only one who can keep you in line!**

 **Dan : She is not my girlfriend! *blushes***

 **Me: Yeah right. *sarcastic***

 **Dan : So when is she coming in?**

 **Me : You seem eager.. Perhaps in the fifth or sixth chapter.**

 **Dan : Aww.. That's a long way!**

 **Me: Shut up... I wish she comes here soon... Hey! Where's Marucho?**

 **Dan : Says he is too young for stuff.**

 **Me : ...**

 **Anyways guys, this Fanfic is mainly here because of the amazing work of Rick Riordan.**


	3. Marucho Loses His Pants

**Hey guys!**

 **Me : Chapter three is up! And just one announcement, I'll update every Sunday! And I'm updating today even though I have three more exams to write, which is sort of weird, because I usually procrastinate... I just hope all of you will enjoy this chapter.**

 **Dan : We'll see. What exactly is there in this chapter? Because the title of this chapter is pretty weird and funny.**

 **Me : You'll see. And this chapter mainly concentrates on you and your mom and- Wait a minute... I'm not giving out everything. You guys have to read! DEDICATED TO ALL!**

 **Dan : Please enjoy, because she is using me as her bait.**

I am feeling good because I kept my promise like a good little angel.

Ok, ok, I'll spill.

I ditched Marucho as soon as we got to the bus terminal.

I know, I know. It was rude.

But heck, Marucho was freaking me out, looking at me like I was a going to die any minute, muttering "Why does this always happen?"

Ok, I'll tell what happened. Marucho told me to wait for him and ran to the restroom.

Instead of waiting, I got my suitcase and other stuff, got out of that old creaky bus, and caught the first taxi uptown.

"East One-hundred-and-fourth and First," I told the driver.

Well, before you meet my mom, I'd better give an introduction, I guess.

My mom's name is Miyoko Kuso and she's the best person in the world, which just proves the theory that the best people have really very bad luck.

How you ask? Well...

Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was four, and she was raised by an aunt who didn't care much about her.

My mom wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative writing program.

Then her aunt got tumor, and she had to quit her senior year of school to take care of her.

After her aunt died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma.

The only good luck she ever got was meeting my dad.

See, I don't have any memories of him, heck, we don't even have a picture of him.

The only thing I know about him is just this sort of warm glow, maybe the barest trace of his smile.

My mom doesn't like to talk about him because it makes her sad and gives her back those old memories.

Well, the truth was, my mom and dad were never married.

She told me he was rich and important, and their relationship was a secret. Well, if he was rich and important, then you would ask what do you mean by really bad luck? It's not like your dad dumped your mom!

I'll tell what happened. My dad was called on this important journey across the Atlantic, after he set sail, no one heard of him ever since. Forget about coming back.

My mom always told me that my dad wasn't dead, but he was lost at sea.

Now back to my mom...

She worked odd jobs, took night classes to get her high school diploma, and raised me on her own.

She never complained or got mad. Not even once.

But I knew I wasn't an easy kid. Especially after getting kicked out of every school I attended.

Finally, she married Ben Ugliano, who was nice the first few seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk.

When I was young, I nicknamed him Smelly Ben.

I'm sorry, but it's the truth. Besides, why am I being sorry?

The guy reeked like moldy garlic wrapped in gym shorts.

Between the two of us, we made my mom's life pretty hard. Even if I didn't intend to.

The way Smelly Ben treated her, the way he and I got along ... well, when I came home is a good example.

I walked into our little apartment, hoping my mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Ben was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies.

The television blared ESPN.

Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet. Some of the beer was soaked into the carpet as well, like ewww...

Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home."

"Where's my mom?" I asked, wanting to get out of there.

"Working," he said. "You got any cash?"

That was it. No Welcome back. Good to see you. How has your life been the last six months?Did you have a hard time?

Ben had put on weight.

He looked like a tuskless walrus in really oddly old clothes.

He had about two hairs on his head, all combed over his bald scalp, as if that made him handsome or something. To tell you guys the truth, he looked more ugly in that way.

He managed the Electronics Mega-Mart in Queens, but he stayed home most of the time. I don't know why he hadn't been fired long before. The way he sat at home...

He just kept on collecting paychecks, spending the money on cigars that made me nauseous, and on beer, of course. Always beer.

Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our "little secret."

Meaning, if I told my mom, he would kill me. I know, he sounds like a typical school bully.

"I don't have any cash," I told him, being straightforward I was. Which was a big mistake.

He raised a greasy grayish eyebrow.

Ben could sniff out money like a dog sniffs thieves, which was surprising, since his own smell should've covered up everything else.

"You took a taxi from the bus station," he said. "Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change. Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own self. Am I right, Max?"

Max, the lap dog of Ben, looked at me with a bit of sympathy. "Come on, Ben," he said. "The kid just got here."

"Am I right?" Ben repeated dangerously.

Max scowled into his bowl of pretzels and nodded. Oh just great, what all can that walrus do?

"Fine," I said. I dug a wad of dollars out of my pocket and threw the money on the table. "I hope you lose."

"Your report card came, boy!" he shouted after me. "I wouldn't act so snooty!"

I slammed the door to my room, which really wasn't my room. Was it? I mean, I certainly did not leave my room like this, did I? Oh wait! I remember now!

During school months, it was Ben's "study."

Like he studied anything except for magazines. I had a lot to clean up because he had stuffed all my stuff in the closet. Leaving his muddy old rain boots on the windowsill, and he also managed to make the place smell like horrible cologne, beer and cigar.

I dropped my suitcase on the bed.

Finally!

Ben's smell was almost worse than the nightmares about Mrs. Green, or the sound of that old fruit lady's shears snipping the yarn.

But as soon as I thought that, my legs felt weak.

I remembered Marucho's look of panic—how he'd made me promise I wouldn't go home without him.

A sudden chill rolled through me.

I felt like someone—something—was looking for me right now, maybe pounding its way up the stairs, growing long, horrible talons.

Was that Mrs. Green? No clue. Maybe it was. What would I do if she came in here now? Maybe apologize for slicing her? No, she would kill me before I even started.

Then I heard my mom's voice. "Daniel?"

She opened the bedroom door, and my fears and thoughts disappeared. Oh well, at least it wasn't Mrs. Green.

Her brown eyes sparkled even in the dark. Her brown hair was the same length as before - shorter than shoulder length.

I've never heard her raise her voice or say an unkind word to anyone, not even me or Ben. I wish she would at least be mean and rude to Ben, but no, she is kind to him.

"Oh, Daniel." She hugged me tight. "I can't believe it. You've grown since Christmas!"

Her red-white-and-blue Sweet on America uniform smelled like the best things in the world: chocolate, licorice, and all the other stuff she sold at the candy shop in Grand Central.

Oh and to tell you all one thing, I love the candy she sells. Wanna know how I had those candies? No! I didn't steal! You'll see.

Mom always wears orange and white tops and black pants or something, I still wasn't used to seeing her in that uniform. Not that it didn't look good on her, it was just rare...

She'd brought me a huge bag of "free samples," the way she always did when I came home. Now your questions might be answered on how I tasted and loved the candies.

We sat together on the edge of the bed.

While I attacked the blueberry sour strings, she ran her hand through my hair and demanded to know everything I hadn't put in my letters.

She didn't mention anything about my getting expelled. She didn't seem to care about that.

But was I okay? Was her little boy doing all right?

I told her she was smothering and spoiling me, and to lay off and all that, but secretly, I was really, really glad to see her.

From the other room, Ben yelled, "Hey, Miyoko—how about some bean dip, huh?"

I gritted my teeth.

My mom is the nicest lady in the world.

She should've been married to a millionaire, not to some jerk like Ben.

For her sake, I tried to sound upbeat about my last days at Gray High Academy.

I told her I wasn't too down about the expulsion and all.

I'd lasted almost the whole year this time. I'd made some new friends. I'd done pretty well in Latin. I liked Gray High Academy.

I really did. I put such a good spin on the year, I almost convinced myself. I started choking up, thinking about Marucho and Mr. Trevor... Mrs. Green...

Even Christine Shacklebolt suddenly didn't seem so bad. Until that trip to the museum ...

"What?" my mom asked. Her face tugged at my conscience, trying to pull out the secrets. "Did something scare you?"

"No, Mom." I lied.

I felt bad lying. I wanted to tell her about Mrs. Green and the three old ladies with the yarn, but I thought it would sound stupid. Mom already had enough with me and Ben, I didn't want her thinking that I'd lost my head or something.

She pursed her lips. She knew I was holding back, but she didn't push me.

"I have a surprise for you," she said. "We're going to the beach."

My eyes widened. "Montauk?"

"Three nights—same cabin."

"When?"

She smiled. "As soon as I get changed."

I couldn't believe it.

My mom and I hadn't been to Montauk the last two summers, because Ben said there wasn't enough money.

Ben appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Miyoko? Didn't you hear me?"

I wanted to punch him, but I met my mom's eyes and I understood she was offering me a deal: be nice to Ben for a little while, and he'll let us go.

Just until she was ready to leave for Montauk.

Then we would get out of here. Oh yeah, that rocks!

"I was on my way, honey," she told Ben. "We were just talking about the trip."

Ben's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"

"I knew it," I muttered. "He won't let us go."

"Of course he will," my mom said evenly. "Your stepfather is just worried about money. That's all. Besides," she added, "Benny won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream."

Ben softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"

"Yes, honey," my mother said.

"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back." He further interrogated as if me and my mom were trying to do a jail break.

"We'll be very careful."

Ben scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the boy apologizes for interrupting my poker game."

Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing soprano for a week. And pluck out the only two hairs on your head.

But my mom's eyes warned me not to make him mad.

Why did she put up with this guy? I wanted to scream. Why did she care what he thought? Why the heck didn't we just kick him out of our lives?

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."

Ben's eyes narrowed. His tiny brain was probably trying to detect sarcasm in my statement.

"Yeah, whatever," he decided. He went back to his game.

"Thank you, Daniel," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"

For a moment, I thought I saw anxiety in her eyes—the same fear I'd seen in Marucho during the bus ride—as if my mom too felt an odd chill in the air.

But then her smile returned, and I figured I must have been mistaken. My mom and Marucho have a huge difference between them. There's no way she could be like Marucho, could she?

She ruffled my hair and went to make Ben his seven-layer dip. An hour later we were ready to leave.

Ben took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom's bags to the car.

He kept griping and groaning about losing her cooking—and more important, his '78 Camaro—for the whole weekend.

"Not a scratch on this car, brain boy," he warned me as I loaded the last bag. "Not one little scratch."

Like I'd be the one driving. I was twelve. Go die, Smelly Ben.

But that didn't matter to Ben. If a seagull so much as pooped on his Camaro, he'd find a way to blame me.

Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain.

As Ben reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Marucho make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Ben.

The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he'd been shot from a cannon.

Now don't ask me how I did that, during the bus ride, Marucho kept doing that. Looks like that boy has given me a new habit.

Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.

I got in the Camaro and told my mom to start.

Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes.

There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.

I loved the place.

We'd been going there since I was a baby.

My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her.

It was the place where she'd met my dad.

As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. To be honest, the sea seemed to be calm for us.

We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine. (Which was my least favorite part.)

We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.

I guess I should explain the blue food.

See, Ben had once told my mom there was no such thing as blue food.

They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue.

She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop.

This—along with keeping her maiden name, Kuso, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano—was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Ben.

She did have a rebellious streak, like me. These was the only things she did to Ben that had him flabbergasted.

When it got dark, we made a fire.

We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.

Mom told me stories about when she was a kid, back before her parents died in the plane crash.

She told me about the books she wanted to write someday, when she had enough money to quit the candy shop.

Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask about what was always on my mind whenever we came to Montauk—my dad.

I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of hearing them.

"He was kind, Daniel," she said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. Even if you don't look like him, I- I see him in you... The same kind of behavior and attitude."

Mom fished a blue jelly bean out of her candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Daniel. He would be so proud."

I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about me?

A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years. Heck, he would probably have disowned me. I won't be surprised if my mom lost her cool and disowned me.

"How old was I?" I asked. "I mean ... when he left?"

She watched the flames with a small smile. "He was only with me for one summer, Daniel. Right here at this beach. This cabin."

"But... he knew me as a baby."

"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."

I tried to square that with the fact that I seemed to remember ... something about my father. A warm glow. A smile.

I know, I know, now this seems like an emotional, heart breaking book. But no, this isn't. Now back to where I was...

I had always assumed he knew me as a baby.

My mom had never said it outright, but still, I'd felt it must be true.

Now, to be told that he'd never even seen me ... I felt angry at my dad.

Maybe it was stupid, but I resented him for going on that ocean voyage, for not having the guts to marry my mom.

He'd left us, and now we were stuck with Smelly Ben. The tuskless walrus.

"Are you going to send me away again?" I asked her. "To another boarding school?"

She pulled a marshmallow from the fire. "I don't know, sweety." Her voice was heavy. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something."

"Because you don't want me around?" I regretted the words as soon as they were out.

My mom's eyes welled with tears.

She took my hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Daniel, no. I—I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."

"Because I'm not normal," I said.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Daniel. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Gray High Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe."

"Safe from what?"

She met my eyes, and a flood of memories came back to me—all the weird, scary things that had ever happened to me, some of which I'd tried to forget. I really wished I got an amnesia and all those thing could be forgotten.

During third grade, a man in a black trench coat had stalked me on the playground.

When the teachers threatened to call the police, he went away growling, but no one believed me when I told them that under his broad-brimmed hat, the man only had one eye, right in the middle of his head.

Before that—a really early memory. I was in preschool, and a teacher accidentally put me down for a nap in a cot that a snake had slithered into.

My mom screamed when she came to pick me up and found me playing with a limp, scaly rope I'd somehow managed to strangle to death with my meaty toddler hands.

In every single school, something creepy had happened, something unsafe, and I was forced to move.

I knew I should tell my mom about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Green at the art museum, about my weird hallucination that I had sliced my math teacher into dust with a sword. And about the way Marucho was acting and Marucho and Mr. Trevor's conversation.

But I couldn't make myself tell her. I had a strange feeling that news would end our trip to Montauk, and I didn't want that. I definitely didn't want that.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," my mom said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Daniel—the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

"Not a school," she said softly. "A summer camp."

My head was spinning.

Why would my dad—who hadn't even stayed around long enough to see me born— talk to my mom about a summer camp?

And if it was so important, why hadn't she ever mentioned it before?

"I'm sorry, Daniel," she said, seeing the look on my face. "But I can't talk about it. I—I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..."

She turned toward the fire, and I knew from her expression that if I asked her any more questions she would start to cry.

I guess I should stop well because... Um... I owe her for... For?...Oh Yeah, not disowning me.

That sound absurd, but hey, it's true!

That night I had a vivid dream.

It was storming on the beach, and two beautiful animals, a white horse and a golden eagle, were trying to kill each other at the edge of the surf.

The eagle swooped down and slashed the horse's muzzle with its huge talons.

The horse reared up and kicked at the eagles wings.

Okay, why am I dreaming of animals? No clue.

As they fought, the ground rumbled, and a monstrous voice chuckled somewhere beneath the earth, goading the animals to fight harder.

I ran toward them, knowing I had to stop them from killing each other, but I was running in slow motion. And when I mean slow motion, I mean slow motion.

I knew I would be too late. I saw the eagle dive down, its beak aimed at the horse's wide eyes, and I screamed, No!

I woke with a start.

Outside, it really was storming, the kind of storm that cracks trees and blows down houses.

There was no horse or eagle on the beach, just lightning making false daylight, and twenty-foot waves pounding the dunes like artillery.

With the next thunderclap, my mom woke.

She sat up, eyes wide, and said, "Hurricane."

I knew that was crazy. Long Island never sees hurricanes this early in the summer.

But the ocean seemed to have forgotten.

Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that made my hair stand on end. I got up.

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice—someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door.

My mother sprang out of bed in her nightgown and threw open the lock.

Marucho stood framed in the doorway against a backdrop of pouring rain.

But he wasn't... he wasn't exactly Marucho.

"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"

My mother looked at me in terror—not scared of Marucho, but of why he'd come. "Daniel," she said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

I was frozen, looking at Marucho.

I couldn't understand what I was seeing.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he yelled. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

I was too shocked to register that he'd just cursed in Ancient Greek, and I'd understood him perfectly.

I was too shocked to wonder how Marucho had gotten here by himself in the middle of the night.

Because Marucho didn't have his pants on—and where his legs should be ... where his legs should be ...

My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Daniel. Tell me now!"

I stammered something about the old ladies at the fruit stand, and Mrs. Green, and my mom stared at me, her face deathly pale in the flashes of lightning.

She grabbed her purse, tossed me my rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!"

Marucho ran for the Camaro—but he wasn't running, exactly.

He was trotting, shaking his shaggy hindquarters, and suddenly his story about a muscular disorder in his legs made sense to me.

I understood how he could run so fast and still limp when he walked.

Because where his feet should be, there were no feet. There were cloven hooves. Confused? Welcome to my world.

 **Me : Was it long enough?**

 **Dan : I guess, but WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY MARUCHO HAS CLOVEN HOOVES?!**

 **Me : Oh just shut up. If I tell you now, then what's the use?**

 **Dan : I hate you...**

 **Me : Runo, just hurry up and enter this story soon and get this guy to shut up...**

 **Dan : But hey! That dad thing... That's really emotional!**

 **Me : It is? Well, it sort of is...**

 **Dan : You're an idiot.**

 **Me : WHAT DID YOU SAY?!**

 **Dan : Um... Nothing?**

 **Me : Daniel Kuso!**

 **Dan : ARGGGHHHHH!**

 **Okay, I just hope Dan heals by the next chapter. After all he is the 'bait'. He said so himself. Anyways, wait for next Sunday for the update! And whoever has noticed that I have finally put up a cover page for this story, you win a candy!**


	4. My Mom Teaches Me Bullfighting

**Hello again!**

 **As I promised, every Sunday I'll update. And another good news is that my exams just got over today. Yay! Now no more projects or exams till the start of April! Honestly, I'm really relieved.**

 **Dan: You're really annoying, you know?**

 **Me: Shut up, you dimwit.**

 **Dan: ... By the way, what's with the title of this chapter?**

 **Me: Read it yourself, you blockhead! I'm not giving you any spoilers!**

 **Dan: Why do you always call me, blockhead, dimwit, fool, stupid, dolt and a bunch of other stuff?**

 **Me: Cause I'm surprised your mom calls you Dan or Daniel. You really needed a name like dimwit or something.**

 **Dan: I hate you...**

 **Me: I don't care... Now go on! Read!**

We tore through the night along dark country roads. Wind slammed against the stupid old Camaro.

Rain lashed the windshield. I didn't know how my mom could see anything in all this hocus pocus, but she kept her foot on the gas.

Every time there was a flash of lightning, I looked at Marucho sitting next to me in the backseat and I wondered if I'd gone insane, or if he was wearing some kind of shag-carpet pants.

But, no, the smell was one I remembered from kindergarten field trips to the petting zoo— lanolin, like from wool.

The smell of a wet barnyard animal.

All I could think to say was, "So, you and my mom... know each other?"

Marucho's eyes flitted to the rearview mirror, though there were no cars behind us.

"Not exactly," he said. "I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you."

"Watching me?"

"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay. But I wasn't faking being your friend," he added hastily. "I am your friend."

"Urn ... what are you, exactly?"

"That doesn't matter right now."

"It doesn't matter? From the waist down, my best friend is a donkey—"

Marucho let out a sharp, throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!"

I'd heard him make that sound before, but I'd always assumed it was a nervous laugh.

Now I realized it was more of an irritated bleat.

"Goat!" he cried.

"What?"

"I'm a goat from the waist down."

"You just said it didn't matter."

"Blaa-ha-ha! There are satyrs who would trample you under hoof for such an insult!"

"Whoa. Wait. Satyrs. You mean like ... Mr. Trevor's myths?"

"Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Dan? Was Mrs. Green a myth?"

"So you admit there was a Mrs. Green!"

"Of course."

"Then why—"

"The less you knew, the fewer monsters you'd attract," Marucho said, like that should be perfectly obvious. "We put Mist over the humans' eyes. We hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good. You started to realize who you are."

"Who I—wait a minute, what do you mean?"

The weird bellowing noise rose up again somewhere behind us, closer than before.

Whatever was chasing us was still on our trail.

"Daniel," my mom said, "there's too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety."

"Safety from what? Who's after me?"

"Oh, nobody much," Marucho said, obviously still miffed about the donkey comment. "Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions."

"Marucho!"

"Sorry, Mrs. Kuso. Could you drive faster, please?"

I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening, but I couldn't do it.

I knew this wasn't a dream.

I had no imagination. I could never dream up something this weird.

My mom made a hard left. We swerved onto a narrower road, racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills and PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES signs on white picket fences.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "The summer camp I told you about."

My mother's voice was tight; she was trying for my sake not to be scared. "The place your father wanted to send you."

"The place you didn't want me to go."

"Please, dear," my mother begged. "This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger."

"Because some old ladies cut yarn."

"Those weren't old ladies," Marucho said. "Those were the Fates. Do you know what it means—the fact they appeared in front of you? They only do that when you're about to ... when someone's about to die."

"Whoa. You said 'you.'"

"No I didn't. I said 'someone.'"

"You meant 'you.' As in me."

"I meant you, like 'someone.' Not you, you."

"Boys!" my mom said.

She pulled the wheel hard to the right, and I got a glimpse of a figure she'd swerved to avoid—a dark fluttering shape now lost behind us in the storm.

"What was that?" I asked.

"We're almost there," my mother said, ignoring my question. "Another mile. Please. Please. Please."

I didn't know where there was, but I found myself leaning forward in the car, anticipating, wanting us to arrive.

Outside, nothing but rain and darkness—the kind of empty countryside you get way out on the tip of Long Island.

I thought about Mrs. Green and the moment when she'd changed into the thing with pointed teeth and leathery wings.

My limbs went numb from delayed shock. She really hadn't been human.

She'd meant to kill me.

Then I thought about Mr. Trevor ... and the sword he had thrown me.

Before I could ask Marucho about that, the hair rose on the back of my neck.

There was a blinding flash, a jaw-rattling boom! and our car exploded.

I remember feeling weightless, like I was being crushed, fried, and hosed down all at the same time.

I peeled my forehead off the back of the driver's seat and said, "Ow."

"Daniel!" my mom shouted.

"I'm okay... ." I tried to shake off the daze.

I wasn't dead.

The car hadn't really exploded.

We'd swerved into a ditch.

Our driver's-side doors were wedged in the mud.

The roof had cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.

Lightning. That was the only explanation.

We'd been blasted right off the road.

Next to me in the backseat was a big motionless lump.

"Marucho!" He was slumped over, blood trickling from the side of his head.

I shook his furry hip, thinking, No! Even if you are half barnyard animal, you're my best friend and I don't want you to die!

Don't blame me, that's what you'd think if your friend happens to bang your cabin at the sea side without pants and then you discover that his legs are hooves and then him and your mom start talking about stuff that would want to scare you.

Then he groaned "Food," and I knew there was hope.

"Daniel," my mother said, "we have to ..."

Her voice faltered.

I looked back.

In a flash of lightning, through the mud-spattered rear windshield, I saw a figure lumbering toward us on the shoulder of the road.

The sight of it made my skin crawl.

It was a dark silhouette of a huge guy, like a football player. He seemed to be holding a blanket over his head.

His top half was bulky and fuzzy.

His upraised hands made it look like he had horns.

I swallowed hard. "Who is—"

"Daniel," my mother said, deadly serious. "Get out of the car."

My mom threw herself against the driver's-side door.

It was jammed shut in the mud.

I tried mine. Stuck too.

I looked up desperately at the hole in the roof.

It might've been an exit, but the edges were sizzling and smoking.

"Climb out the passenger's side!" my mom told me. "Daniel—you have to run. Do you see that big tree?"

"What?"

Another flash of lightning, and through the smoking hole in the roof I saw the tree she meant: a huge, White House Christmas tree-sized pine at the crest of the nearest hill.

"That's the property line," my mom said. "Get over that hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley. Run and don't look back. Yell for help. Don't stop until you reach the door."

"Mom, you're coming too."

Her face was pale, her eyes as sad as when she looked at the ocean.

"No!" I shouted. "You are coming with me. Help me carry Marucho."

"Food!" Marucho moaned, a little louder.

The man with the blanket on his head kept coming toward us, making his grunting, snorting noises.

As he got closer, I realized he couldn't be holding a blanket over his head, because his hands—huge meaty hands—were swinging at his sides.

There was no blanket. Meaning the bulky, fuzzy mass that was too big to be his head ... was his head.

And the points that looked like horns ...

"He doesn't want us," my mother told me. "He wants you. Besides, I can't cross the property line."

"But..."

"We don't have time, Daniel. Go. Please."

I got mad, then—mad at my mother, at Marucho the goat, at the thing with horns that was lumbering toward us slowly and deliberately like, like a bull.

That bull thing, all because of that, I was forced out of my vacation from schools, from Smelly Ben.

I climbed across Marucho and pushed the door open into the rain.

"We're going together. Come on, Mom."

"I told you—"

"Mom! I am not leaving you. Help me with Marucho."

I didn't wait for her answer. I scrambled outside, dragging Marucho from the car.

He was surprisingly light, but I couldn't have carried him very far if my mom hadn't come to my aid.

Together, we draped Marucho's arms over our shoulders and started stumbling uphill through wet waist-high grass.

Glancing back, I got my first clear look at the monster.

He was seven feet tall, easy, his arms and legs like something from the cover of Muscle Man magazine—bulging biceps and triceps and a bunch of other 'ceps, all stuffed like baseballs under vein-webbed skin.

He wore no clothes except underwear—I mean, bright white Fruit of the Looms—which would've looked funny, except that the top half of his body was so scary.

Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.

His neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as my arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes, and horns— enormous black-and-white horns with points you just couldn't get from an electric sharpener.

I recognized the monster, all right.

He had been in one of the first stories Mr. Trevor told us.

But he couldn't be real.

I blinked the rain out of my eyes. "That's—"

"Pasiphaë's son," my mother said. "I wish I'd known how badly they want to kill you."

"But he's the Min—"

"Don't say his name," she warned. "Names have power."

The pine tree was still way too far—a hundred yards uphill at least. I glanced behind me again.

The bull-man hunched over our car, looking in the windows—or not looking, exactly.

More like snuffling, nuzzling. I wasn't sure why he bothered, since we were only about fifty feet away.

"Food?" Marucho moaned.

"Shhh," I told him. "Mom, what's he doing? Doesn't he see us?"

"His sight and hearing are terrible," she said. "He goes by smell. But he'll figure out where we are soon enough."

As if on cue, the bull-man bellowed in rage.

He picked up Ben's Camaro by the torn roof, the chassis creaking and groaning.

He raised the car over his head and threw it down the road.

It slammed into the wet asphalt and skidded in a shower of sparks for about half a mile before coming to a stop.

The gas tank exploded.

 _Not a scratch_ , I remembered Ben saying.

Oops.

"Daniel," my mom said. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way— directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?"

"How do you know all this?"

"I've been worried about an attack for a long time. I should have expected this. I was selfish, keeping you near me."

"Keeping me near you? But—"

Another bellow of rage, and the bull-man started tromping uphill.

He'd smelled us.

The pine tree was only a few more yards, but the hill was getting steeper and slicker, and Marucho wasn't getting any lighter.

Which stinks because I thought that since he was small he would be light, but he seemed to gained ten kilos every second.

The bull-man closed in. Another few seconds and he'd be on top of us.

My mother must've been exhausted, but she shouldered Marucho. "Go, Daniel! Separate! Remember what I said."

I didn't want to split up, but I had the feeling she was right—it was our only chance.

I sprinted to the left, turned, and saw the creature bearing down on me.

His black eyes glowed with hate. He reeked like rotten meat. Compared to him, Smelly Ben looked like he used a lot of perfume.

He lowered his head and charged, those razor-sharp horns aimed straight at my chest.

The fear in my stomach made me want to bolt, but that wouldn't work.

I could never outrun this thing.

So I held my ground, and at the last moment, I jumped to the side.

The bull-man stormed past like a freight train, then bellowed with frustration and turned, but not toward me this time, toward my mother, who was setting Marucho down in the grass.

We'd reached the crest of the hill.

Down the other side I could see a valley, just as my mother had said, and the lights of a farmhouse glowing yellow through the rain.

But that was half a mile away.

We'd never make it.

The bull-man grunted, pawing the ground. He kept eyeing my mother, who was now retreating slowly downhill, back toward the road, trying to lead the monster away from Marucho.

"Run, Daniel!" she told me. "I can't go any farther. Run!"

But I just stood there, frozen in fear, as the monster charged her.

She tried to sidestep, as she'd told me to do, but the monster had learned his lesson.

His hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck as she tried to get away.

He lifted her as she struggled, kicking and pummeling the air.

"Mom!"

She caught my eyes, managed to choke out one last word: "Go!"

Then, with an angry roar, the monster closed his fists around my mother's neck, and she dissolved before my eyes, melting into light, a shimmering golden form, as if she were a holographic projection.

A blinding flash, and she was simply ... gone.

"No!" I yelled.

Anger replaced my fear. Newfound strength burned in my limbs—the same rush of energy I'd gotten when Mrs. Green grew talons.

The bull-man bore down on Marucho, who lay helpless in the grass.

The monster hunched over, snuffling my best friend, as if he were about to lift Marucho up and make him dissolve too.

I couldn't allow that. I stripped off my red rain jacket.

"Hey!" I screamed, waving the jacket, running to one side of the monster. "Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"

"Raaaarrrrr!" The monster turned toward me, shaking his meaty fists.

Go ahead, call me a dolt for not running away screaming for help or something. But there was no way I was leaving my best friend.

I had an idea—a stupid idea, but better than no idea at all. I put my back to the big pine tree and waved my red jacket in front of the bull-man, thinking I'd jump out of the way at the last moment.

But it didn't happen like that.

The bull-man charged too fast, his arms out to grab me whichever way I tried to dodge.

Time slowed down.

My legs tensed.

I couldn't jump sideways, so I leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature's head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair, and landing on his neck.

How did I do that?

I didn't have time to figure it out.

A millisecond later, the monster's head slammed into the tree and the impact nearly knocked my teeth out.

Ouch.

The bull-man staggered around, trying to shake me.

I locked my arms around his horns to keep from being thrown.

Thunder and lightning were still going strong.

The rain was in my eyes.

The smell of rotten meat burned my nostrils.

The monster shook himself around and bucked like a rodeo bull. If only I had joined a rodeo bull club...

He should have just backed up into the tree and smashed me flat, but I was starting to realize that this thing had only one gear: forward.

Meanwhile, Marucho started groaning in the grass.

I wanted to yell at him to shut up, but the way I was getting tossed around, if I opened my mouth I'd bite my own tongue off.

"Food!" Marucho moaned.

The bull-man wheeled toward him, pawed the ground again, and got ready to charge.

I thought about how he had squeezed the life out of my mother, made her disappear in a flash of light, and rage filled me like high-octane fuel.

I got both hands around one horn and I pulled backward with all my might.

The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then—snap!

The bull-man screamed and flung me through the air.

I landed flat on my back in the grass.

My head smacked against a rock.

When I sat up, my vision was blurry, but I had a horn in my hands, a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife.

The monster charged.

Without thinking, I rolled to one side and came up kneeling.

As the monster barreled past, I drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage.

The bull-man roared in agony. He flailed, clawing at his chest, then began to disintegrate— not like my mother, in a flash of golden light, but like crumbling sand, blown away in chunks by the wind, the same way Mrs. Green had burst apart.

The monster was gone.

The rain had stopped. The storm still rumbled, but only in the distance.

I smelled like livestock and my knees were shaking. My head felt like it was splitting open.

I was weak and scared and trembling with grief I'd just seen my mother vanish.

I wanted to lie down and cry, but there was Marucho, needing my help, so I managed to haul him up and stagger down into the valley, toward the lights of the farmhouse.

I was crying, calling for my mother, but I held on to Marucho—I wasn't going to let him go.

The last thing I remember is collapsing on a wooden porch, looking up at a ceiling fan circling above me, moths flying around a yellow light, and the stern faces of a familiar-looking bearded man and a pretty girl, her silky blue hair sweeping over shoulders and her bangs covering her eyes.

They both looked down at me, and the girl said, "He's the one. He must be."

"Silence, Runo," the man said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."

 **Me: Haha! Now as you guys can see, Runo has entered the story! And by the next chapter, she'll be here to keep Dan in line!**

 **Dan: My life sucks.**

 **Me: It'll suck more!**

 **Dan: Whatever... And readers, please review or my respect is at stake, because she's using me!**

 **Me: Just shut up before I turn you into something so embarrassing that you'd want to bury yourself.**

 **Dan: Oh yeah?**

 **Me: You know what? I'll tell these readers about your fear of cl-**

 **Dan: NOOOOOOOO!**

 **Me: That was loud... Anyways, stay tuned for the upcoming chapters and-**

 **Dan: -don't forget to review *bored***

 **Me: Right...**


	5. I Play Pinochle With A Horse

**Another update!**

 **Personally, I'm excited.**

 **Dan: Get on with it... Where's Runo?**

 **Me: She was just introduced in the last chapter, you twit! She will come at the 'after the chapter' part.**

 **Dan: Oh.**

 **Me: Well, get on with it.**

 **Dan: Oh right...**

I had weird dreams full of barnyard animals.

Most of them wanted to kill me.

The rest wanted food.

I must've woken up several times, but what I heard and saw made no sense, so I just passed out again.

I remember lying in a soft bed, being spoon-fed something that tasted like buttered popcorn, only it was pudding.

The girl with the silky long blue hair hovered over me, smirking as she scraped drips off my chin with the spoon.

I could see her eyes now.

They were Amber Green.

Even though it was a nice eye color, those eyes looked like they were trying to look at my thoughts.

When she saw my eyes open, she asked, "What will happen at the summer solstice?"

I managed to croak, "What?"

She looked around, as if afraid someone would overhear. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "I don't..."

"But you should!" She said as if I was a trouble maker or something. "You must be the one! That-"

"Wait a minute," I told her as I grabbed her wrist. "What are you talking about?"

Somebody knocked on the door, and the girl quickly freed her wrist and filled my mouth with pudding and put a wet cold cloth on my forehead.

The next time I woke up, the girl was gone.

Which sucked, because I was hoping she would be there.

Whoa! Not that way!

I wanted her to fill me in about whatever she was talking about.

A husky blond dude, like a surfer, stood in the corner of the bedroom keeping watch over me. He had blue eyes— at least a dozen of them—on his cheeks, his forehead, the backs of his hands.

Yup, I confirm it. I am officially crazy.

Then? Well, I passed out.

When I finally came around for good, there was nothing weird about my surroundings, except that they were nicer than I was used to.

I was sitting in a deck chair on a huge porch, gazing across a meadow at green hills in the distance.

The breeze smelled like strawberries.

There was a blanket over my legs, a pillow behind my neck.

All that was great, but my mouth felt like a raccoon had been using it for a nest.

My tongue was dry and nasty and every one of my teeth hurt.

On the table next to me was a tall drink.

It looked like iced apple juice, with a green straw and a paper parasol stuck through a maraschino cherry.

My hand was so weak I almost dropped the glass once I got my fingers around it.

"Careful," a familiar voice said.

Marucho was leaning against the porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in a week.

Under one arm, he cradled a shoe box. He was wearing blue jeans, Converse hi-tops and a bright orange T-shirt that said CAMP HALF-BLOOD.

Just plain old Marucho, Not the goat boy. So maybe I'd had a nightmare.

Maybe my mom was okay. We were still on vacation, and we'd stopped here at this big house for some reason. And ...

"You saved my life," Marucho said. "I... well, the least I could do ... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this."

Reverently, he placed the shoe box in my lap.

Inside was a black-and-white bull's horn, the base jagged from being broken off, the tip splattered with dried blood.

It hadn't been a nightmare. I choked.

"The Minotaur," I said.

"Urn, Dan, it isn't a good idea—"

"That's what they call him in the Greek myths, isn't it?!" I demanded. "The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."

Marucho shifted uncomfortably. "You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?"

"My mom. Is she really ..."

He looked down.

I couldn't believe it. I fight and kill some beef guy and this is what I get?!

I stared across the meadow. There were groves of trees, a winding stream, acres of strawberries spread out under the blue sky.

The valley was surrounded by rolling hills, and the tallest one, directly in front of us, was the one with the huge pine tree on top. Even that looked beautiful in the sunlight.

Well, if you compare me with that pine tree, I think that the tree looked better. It was sort of insulting being beaten by a tree. **(I love this line! Dan: You insulted me... Hate you...)**

"I'm sorry," Marucho sniffled. "I'm a failure. I'm—I'm the worst satyr in the world."

He groaned, stomping his foot so hard it came off. I mean, the Converse hi-top came off.

The inside was filled with Styrofoam, except for a hoof-shaped hole.

"Oh, Styx!" he mumbled.

Thunder rolled across the clear sky.

As he struggled to get his hoof back in the fake foot, I thought, _Well, that settles it._

Marucho was a satyr. I was ready to bet that if I shaved his blond hair with a razor or something, I'd find tiny horns on his head.

But I was too miserable to care that satyrs existed, or even minotaurs.

All that meant was my mom really had been squeezed into nothingness, dissolved into yellow light.

I was alone.

An orphan.

I would have to live with ... Smelly Ben?

No. That would never happen.

I would live on the streets first. I would pretend I was seventeen and join the army. Or I would dress up as a clown and live in a circus or something.

I'd do something.

Marucho was still sniffling.

The poor kid—poor goat, satyr, whatever—looked as if he expected to be hit.

I said, "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you." He sobbed.

"Did my mom ask you to protect me?"

"No. But that's my job. I'm a keeper. At least... I was."

"But why ..." I suddenly felt dizzy, my vision swimming.

"Don't strain yourself," Marucho said. "Here."

He helped me hold my glass and put the straw to my lips.

I recoiled at the taste, because I was expecting apple juice.

It wasn't that at all. Funny.

It was chocolate-chip cookies. Liquid cookies. And not just any cookies—my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies, buttery and hot, with the chips still melting.

Drinking it, my whole body felt warm and good, full of energy.

My grief didn't go away, but I felt as if my mom had just ruffled my hair, given me a cookie the way she used to when I was small, and told me everything was going to be okay.

Before I knew it, I'd drained the glass. I stared into it, sure I'd just had a warm drink, but the ice cubes hadn't even melted.

"Was it good?" Marucho asked.

I nodded.

"What did it taste like?" He sounded so wistful, I felt guilty.

"Sorry," I said. "I should've let you taste."

His eyes got wide. "No! That's not what I meant. I just... wondered."

"Chocolate-chip cookies," I said. "My mom's. Homemade."

He sighed. "And how do you feel?"

"Like I could throw Christine Shacklebolt a hundred yards."

"That's good," he said. "That's good. I don't think you could risk drinking any more of that stuff"

"What do you mean?"

He took the empty glass from me gingerly, as if it were dynamite, and set it back on the table.

"Come on. Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

"Who?" I asked, but he ignored me.

The porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse. My legs felt wobbly, trying to walk that far.

Marucho offered to carry the Minotaur horn, but I held on to it.

I'd paid for that souvenir the hard way. I wasn't going to let it go.

As we came around the opposite end of the house, I caught my breath.

We must've been on the north shore of Long Island, because on this side of the house, the valley marched all the way up to the water, which glittered about a mile in the distance.

Between here and there, I simply couldn't process everything I was seeing.

The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture—an open-air pavilion, an amphitheater, a circular arena—except that they all looked brand new, their white marble columns sparkling in the sun.

In a nearby sandpit, a dozen high school-age kids and satyrs played volleyball.

Canoes glided across a small lake.

Kids in bright orange T-shirts like Marucho's were chasing each other around a cluster of cabins nestled in the woods.

Some shot targets at an archery range.

Others rode horses down a wooded trail, and, unless I was hallucinating, some of their horses had wings.

Down at the end of the porch, two men sat across from each other at a card table.

The bluenette girl who'd spoon-fed me popcorn-flavored pudding was leaning on the porch rail next to them.

The man facing me was small, but porky.

He had a red nose, big watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple. He looked like those paintings of baby angels— what do you call them, hubbubs? No, cherubs. That's it.

He looked like a cherub who'd turned middle-aged in a trailer park.

He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiian shirt, and he would've fit right in at one of Ben's poker parties, except I got the feeling this guy could've out-gambled even my stepfather.

"That's Mr. D," Marucho murmured to me. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Runo Misaki. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron... ."

He pointed at the guy whose back was to me.

First, I realized he was sitting in the wheelchair.

Then I recognized the tweed jacket, the thinning brown hair, the scraggly beard.

"Mr. Trevor!" I cried.

Maybe I was mad. But hey, it's nice to see an adult you've known.

The Latin teacher turned and smiled at me.

His eyes had that mischievous glint they sometimes got in class when he pulled a pop quiz and made all the multiple choice answers B.

And if you ask me if you know all the answers are B before attempting, well, all I can say is, Yes.

"Ah, good, Dan," he said. "Now we have four for pinochle."

He offered me a chair to the right of Mr. D, who looked at me with bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."

"Uh, thanks." I scooted a little farther away from him because, if there was one thing I had learned from living with Ben, it was how to tell when an adult has been hitting the happy juice.

If Mr. D was a stranger to alcohol, I was a satyr.

"Runo?" Mr. Trevor called to the bluenette girl.

She came forward and Mr. Trevor introduced us. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Dan. Runo, my dear, why don't you go check on Dan's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

Runo said, "Sure, Chiron."

She looked about my age. Maybe a few months younger than me.

Her blue hair was tied in a ponytail. She would've looked amazing with those amber green eyes, but she put those eyes to the wrong job. They looked curious.

Now I wasn't a guy who notices a girl that much, but maybe... Oh never mind! Take this as an introduction.

She glanced at the minotaur horn in my hands, then back at me.

I imagined she was going to say, _You killed a minotaur!_ or _Wow, you're so awesome!_ or something like that.

Instead she said, "You drool when you sleep."

Then she sprinted off down the lawn, her blue hair flying behind her.

"So," I said, anxious to change the subject. "You, uh, work here, Mr. Trevor?"

"Not Mr. Trevor," the ex—Mr. Trevor said. "I'm afraid that was a pseudonym. You may call me Chiron."

"Okay." Totally confused, I looked at the director. "And Mr. D ... does that stand for something?"

Mr. D stopped shuffling the cards. He looked at me like I'd just belched loudly. "Young man, names are powerful things. You don't just go around using them for no reason."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

"I must say, Dan," Chiron-Brunner broke in, "I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."

"House call?" I asked.

"My year at Gray High Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Marucho alerted me as soon as he met you. He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other Latin teacher to ... ah, take a leave of absence."

I tried to remember the beginning of the school year.

It seemed like so long ago, but I did have a fuzzy memory of there being another Latin teacher my first week at Gray High.

Then, without explanation, he had disappeared and Mr. Trevor had taken the class.

"You came to Gray just to teach me?" I asked.

Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first. We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."

"Marucho," Mr. D said impatiently, "are you playing or not?"

"Yes, sir!" Marucho trembled as he took the fourth chair, though I didn't know why he should be so afraid of a pudgy little man in a tiger-print Hawaiian shirt.

"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed me suspiciously.

"I'm afraid not," I said.

"I'm afraid not, sir," he said.

"Sir," I repeated.

I had this crazy thing in me to retort - No need to call me sir.

But I figured that I would be in trouble.

I was liking the camp director less and less.

"Well," he told me, "it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all civilized young men to know the rules."

"I'm sure the boy can learn," Chiron said.

"Please," I said, "what is this place? What am I doing here? Mr. Tre—Chiron—why would you go to Gray High Academy just to teach me?"

Mr. D snorted. "I asked the same question. Better to let the boy die."

Die? Did I hear right?

The camp director dealt the cards.

Marucho flinched every time one landed in his pile.

Chiron smiled at me sympathetically, the way he used to in Latin class, as if to let me know that no matter what my average was, I was his star student.

He expected me to have the right answer.

"Dan," he said. "Did your mother tell you nothing?"

"She said ..." I remembered her sad eyes, looking out over the sea. "She told me she was afraid to send me here, even though my father had wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I probably couldn't leave. She wanted to keep me close to her."

"Typical," Mr. D said. "That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"

"What?" I asked, completely confused.

He explained, impatiently, how you bid in pinochle, and so I did.

"I'm afraid there's too much to tell," Chiron said. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."

"Orientation film?" I asked.

"No," Chiron decided. "Well, Dan. You know your friend Marucho is a satyr. You know"— he pointed to the horn in the shoe box—"that you have killed the Minotaur. No small feat, either, lad. What you may not know is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods—the forces you call the Greek gods—are very much alive."

I stared at the others around the table.

I waited for somebody to yell, _Not!_

But all I got was Mr. D yelling, "Oh, a royal marriage. Trick! Trick!"

He cackled as he tallied up his points.

"Mr. D," Marucho asked timidly, "if you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"

Eat? Can? I was sure I heard wrong...

"Eh? Oh, all right." Mr. D said.

Marucho bit a huge shard out of the empty aluminum can and chewed it mournfully.

My jaw dropped. Then I remembered all those doubts.

"Wait," I told Chiron. "You're telling me there's such a thing as God."

"Well, now," Chiron said. "God—capital G, God. That's a different matter altogether. We shan't deal with the metaphysical."

"Metaphysical? But you were just talking about—"

"Ah, gods, plural, as in, great beings that control the forces of nature and human endeavors: the immortal gods of Olympus. That's a smaller matter."

"Smaller?"

"Yes, quite. The gods we discussed in Latin class."

"Zeus," I said. "Hera. Apollo. You mean them."

And there it was again—distant thunder on a cloudless day.

Seriously, I just wished that the thunder would just shut up for a while.

"Young man," said Mr. D, "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around, if I were you."

"But they're stories," I protested. "They're—myths, to explain lightning and the seasons and stuff. They're what people believed before there was science."

"Science!" Mr. D scoffed. "And tell me, Daniel Kuso"—I flinched when he said my real name, which I never told anybody—"what will people think of your 'science' two thousand years from now?"

Mr. D continued. "Hmm? They will call it primitive mumbo jumbo. That's what. Oh, I love mortals—they have absolutely no sense of perspective. They think they've come so-o-o far. And have they, Chiron? Look at this boy and tell me."

I wasn't liking Mr. D much, but there was something about the way he called me mortal, as if... he wasn't.

It was enough to put a lump in my throat, to suggest why Marucho was dutifully minding his cards, chewing his soda can, and keeping his mouth shut.

"Dan," Chiron said, "you may choose to believe or not, but the fact is that immortal means immortal. Can you imagine that for a moment, never dying? Never fading? Existing, just as you are, for all time?"

I was about to answer, off the top of my head, that it sounded like a pretty good deal, but the tone of Chiron's voice made me hesitate.

"You mean, whether people believed in you or not," I said.

"Exactly," Chiron agreed. "If you were a god, how would you like being called a myth, an old story to explain lightning? What if I told you, Daniel Kuso, that someday people would call you a myth, just created to explain how little boys can get over losing their mothers?"

My heart pounded.

He was trying to make me angry for some reason, but I wasn't going to let him.

I said, "I wouldn't like it. But I don't believe in gods."

"Oh, you'd better," Mr. D murmured. "Before one of them incinerates you."

Marucho said, "P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock."

"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with pests who don't even believe."

He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight had bent, momentarily, and woven the air into glass.

The goblet filled itself with red wine.

My jaw dropped, but Chiron hardly looked up. "Mr. D," he warned, "your restrictions."

Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprise.

"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled, "Old habits! Sorry!"

More thunder.

Mr. D waved his hand again, and the wineglass changed into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.

Chiron winked at me. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."

"A wood nymph," I repeated, still staring at the Diet Coke can like it was from outer space.

"Yes," Mr. D confessed. "Father loves to punish me. The first time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time—well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away—the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. 'Be a better influence,' he told me. 'Work with youths rather than tearing them down.' Ha! Absolutely unfair."

Mr. D sounded about six years old, like a pouting little kid.

"And ..." I stammered, "your father is ..."

"Di immortales, Chiron," Mr. D said. "I thought you taught this boy the basics. My father is Zeus, of course."

I ran through D names from Greek mythology.

Wine.

The skin of a tiger.

The satyrs that all seemed to work here.

The way Marucho cringed, as if Mr. D were his master.

"You're Dionysus," I said. "The god of wine."

Mr. D rolled his eyes. "What do they say, these days, Marucho? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?"

"Y-ye-yes, Mr. D." Marucho yammered.

"Then, well, duh! Dan Kuso. Did you think I was Aphrodite, perhaps?"

"You're a god."

"Yes, child."

"A god. You?"

He turned to look at me straight on, and I saw a kind of purplish fire in his eyes, a hint that this whiny, plump little man was only showing me the tiniest bit of his true nature.

I saw visions of grape vines choking unbelievers to death, drunken warriors insane with battle lust, sailors screaming as their hands turned to flippers, their faces elongating into dolphin snouts.

I knew that if I pushed him, Mr. D would show me worse things.

He would plant a disease in my brain that would leave me wearing a strait-jacket in a rubber room for the rest of my life.

"Would you like to test me, child?" he said quietly.

"No. No, sir."

The fire died a little.

He turned back to his card game. "I believe I win."

"Not quite, Mr. D," Chiron said. He set down a straight, tallied the points, and said, "The game goes to me."

I thought Mr. D was going to vaporize Chiron right out of his wheelchair, but he just sighed through his nose, as if he were used to being beaten by the Latin teacher.

He got up, and Marucho rose, too.

"I'm tired," Mr. D said. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Marucho, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."

Marucho's face beaded with sweat. "Y-yes, sir."

Mr. D turned to me. "Cabin eleven, Dan Kuso. And mind your manners."

He swept into the farmhouse, Marucho following miserably.

"Will Marucho be okay?" I asked Chiron.

Chiron nodded, though he looked a bit troubled. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been ... ah, grounded, I guess you would say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus."

"Mount Olympus," I said. "You're telling me there really is a palace there?"

"Well now, there's Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Dan, just as the gods do."

"You mean the Greek gods are here? Like ... in America?"

"Well, certainly. The gods move with the heart of the West."

"The what?"

"Come now, Dan. What you call 'Western civilization.' Do you think it's just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force. A collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization were obliterated. The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know—or as I hope you know, since you passed my course—the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Oh, different names, perhaps—Jupiter for Zeus, Venus for Aphrodite, and so on—but the same forces, the same gods."

Okay. I hated History lessons. But not Chiron's. When he was a teacher anyway. This seemed to be the first time he almost made me yawn.

"And then they died." I said.

"Died? No. Did the West die? The gods simply moved, to Germany, to France, to Spain, for a while. Wherever the flame was brightest, the gods were there. They spent several centuries in England. All you need to do is look at the architecture. People do not forget the gods. Every place they've ruled, for the last three thousand years, you can see them in paintings, in statues, on the most important buildings. And yes, Dan, of course they are now in your United States. Look at your symbol, the eagle of Zeus. Look at the statue of Prometheus in Rockefeller Center, the Greek facades of your government buildings in Washington. I defy you to find any American city where the Olympians are not prominently displayed in multiple places. Like it or not—and believe me, plenty of people weren't very fond of Rome, either—America is now the heart of the flame. It is the great power of the West. And so Olympus is here. And we are here."

It was all too much, especially the fact that I seemed to be included in Chiron's we, as if I were part of some club.

I've read Harry Potter.

Yup, I did.

Alright, I'll confess, I heard people talking about how amazing those books are and I went to YouTube and heard all the audiobooks.

In the sixth book or something, there was something called Slug Club.

You'll he like, What the heck? But I'm telling you it was named because of the person who started it. What was his name... Yes, _Horace Slughorn_

"Who are you, Chiron? Who ... who am I?" I asked Chiron.

Chiron smiled.

He shifted his weight as if he were going to get up out of his wheelchair, but I knew that was impossible. He was paralyzed from the waist down.

"Who are you?" he mused. "Well, that's the question we all want answered, isn't it? But for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet. And plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be s'mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate."

And then he did rise from his wheelchair.

But there was something odd about the way he did it.

His blanket fell away from his legs, but the legs didn't move.

His waist kept getting longer, rising above his belt.

At first, I thought he was wearing very long, white velvet underwear, but as he kept rising out of the chair, taller than any man, I realized that the velvet underwear wasn't underwear; it was the front of an animal, muscle and sinew under coarse white fur.

And the wheelchair wasn't a chair. It was some kind of container, an enormous box on wheels, and it must've been magic, because there's no way it could've held all of him.

A leg came out, long and knobby-kneed, with a huge polished hoof.

Then another front leg, then hindquarters, and then the box was empty, nothing but a metal shell with a couple of fake human legs attached.

I stared at the horse who had just sprung from the wheelchair: a huge white stallion.

But where its neck should be was the upper body of my Latin teacher, smoothly grafted to the horse's trunk.

"What a relief," the centaur said. "I'd been cooped up in there so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now, come, Dan Kuso. Let's meet the other campers."

 **Dan: Wait a minute, what do you mean by a that?!**

 **Me: I'm not telling you.**

 **Dan: But-**

 **Runo: Dan, shut the hell up before I pulverize you.**

 **Dan: *gulps* R-Runo?**

 **Runo: How long do you take to recognize me? *crosses arms over her chest***

 **Dan: I didn't know!**

 **Me: You're making it worse, idiot.**

 **Dan: Sorry.**

 **Runo: Not interested.**

 **Me: Go make up with her, you dimwit. Before I pulverize you.**

 **Dan: Why the hell does everyone want to hate me?!**

 **Me: Dunno. And watch out for the next episode everyone!**


	6. I Become Supreme Lord Of The Bathroom

**Me: I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING LAST WEEK GUYS! I WAS ON GACATION AND THE ELECTRICITY AND WIFI KEPT GETTING CUT! SO TODAY, I AM UPDATING AS USUAL! BUT I AM UPLOADING TWO CHAOTERS TODAY! AFTER THIS CHAPTER IS UPDATED, I WILL FINISH OFF THE NEXT CHAPTER AND PUBLISH THAT AS WELL!**

 **Dan: You're too loud...**

 **Runo: For once I agree with him.**

 **Me: Shut up! You don't understand the guilt in me!**

 **Runo: We do... Finish this chapter!**

 **Me: Right...**

 **Dan: By the way, what do you mean by I become the supreme lord of the bathroom?!**

Once I got over the fact that my Latin teacher was a horse, we had a nice tour, though I was careful not to walk behind him.

I'd done pooper-scooper patrol in the Stacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade a few times, and, I'm sorry, I did not trust Chiron's back end the way I trusted his front.

We passed the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudged each other.

One pointed to the minotaur horn I was carrying.

Another said, "That's him."

Most of the campers were older than me.

Their satyr friends were bigger than Marucho (which was obvious because he was the tiniest in middle school), all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare shaggy hindquarters.

I wasn't normally shy, but the way they stared at me made me uncomfortable.

I felt like they were expecting me to do a flip or a somersault or something. I looked back at the farmhouse.

It was a lot bigger than I'd realized—four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort.

I was checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something caught my eye, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable.

Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I got the distinct impression I was being watched.

"What's up there?" I asked Chiron.

He looked where I was pointing, and his smile faded. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"No," he said with finality. "Not a single living thing."

I got the feeling he was being truthful.

But I was also sure something had moved that curtain.

"Come along, Dan," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."

We walked through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of berries while a satyr played a tune on a reed pipe.

Chiron told me the camp grew a nice crop for export to New York restaurants and Mount Olympus.

"It pays our expenses," he explained. "And the strawberries take almost no effort."

He said Mr. D had this effect on fruit-bearing plants: they just went crazy when he was around.

It worked best with wine grapes, but Mr. D was restricted from growing those, so they grew strawberries instead.

I watched the satyr playing his pipe.

His music was causing lines of bugs to leave the strawberry patch in every direction, like refugees fleeing a fire.

I wondered if Marucho could work that kind of magic with music. I wondered if he was still inside the farmhouse, getting chewed out by Mr. D.

"Marucho won't get in too much trouble, will he?" I asked Chiron. "I mean ... he was a good protector. Really."

Chiron sighed.

He shed his tweed jacket and draped it over his horses back like a saddle.

"Marucho has big dreams, Dan. Perhaps bigger than are reasonable. To reach his goal, he must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But he did that!"

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Marucho lost you in New York. Then there's the unfortunate ... ah ... fate of your mother. And the fact that Marucho was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Marucho's part."

I wanted to protest. None of what happened was Marucho's fault. I also felt really, really guilty. If I hadn't given Marucho the slip at the bus station, he might not have gotten in trouble.

"He'll get a second chance, won't he?"

Chiron winced. "I'm afraid that was Marucho's second chance, Dan. The council was not anxious to give him another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age... ."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"What! And he's in sixth grade?"

And he's that short?! - That's what I wanted to ask, but I thought better

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Dan. Marucho has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible."

"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Marucho is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career... ."

"That's not fair," I said. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly. "Let's move along, shall we?"

But I wasn't quite ready to let the subject drop. Something had occurred to me when Chiron talked about my mother's fate, as if he were intentionally avoiding the word death.

The beginnings of an idea—a tiny, hopeful fire—started forming in my mind.

"Chiron," I said. "If the gods and Olympus and all that are real ..."

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

Chiron's expression darkened. "Yes, child." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, Dan. Let's see the woods."

As we got closer, I realized how huge the forest was. It took up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.

Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" I asked. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?"

"My own—?"

"No," Chiron said. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later."

I wanted to ask what kind of summer camp had an armory, but there was too much else to think about, so the tour continued.

We saw the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron didn't seem to like very much), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.

"Sword and spear fights?" I asked.

"Cabin challenges and all that," he explained. "Not lethal. Usually. Oh, yes, and there's the mess hall."

Chiron pointed to an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea.

There were a dozen stone picnic tables. No roof. No walls.

"What do you do when it rains?" I asked.

Chiron looked at me as if I'd gone a little weird. "We still have to eat, don't we?"

I decided to drop the subject.

Finally, he showed me the cabins.

There were twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake.

They were arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on either side.

And they were without doubt the most bizarre collection of buildings I'd ever seen.

Except for the fact that each had a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they looked absolutely nothing alike.

Number nine had smokestacks, like a tiny factory.

Number four had tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass.

Seven seemed to be made of solid gold, which gleamed so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at.

They all faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit.

Even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. A girl about nine years old was tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, looked like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front.

Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve.

Its polished bronze doors shimmered like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seemed to streak across them.

Cabin two was more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls were carved with images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" I guessed.

"Correct," Chiron said.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

Okay. So each cabin had a different god, like a mascot. Twelve cabins for the twelve Olympians.

But why would some be empty? I stopped in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

It wasn't high and mighty like cabin one, but long and low and solid. The outer walls were of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor.

I peeked inside the open doorway and Chiron said, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"

Before he could pull me back, I caught the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk.

The interior walls glowed like abalone. There were six empty bunk beds with silk sheets turned down.

But there was no sign anyone had ever slept there.

The place felt so sad and lonely, I was glad when Chiron put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Come along, Dan."

Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.

Number five was bright red—a real nasty paint job, as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me.

Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared.

The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD Tshirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on me and gave me an evil sneer. She reminded me of Christine Shacklebolt, though the camper girl was much bigger and tougher looking, and her hair was short, and aquamarine instead of pink.

I kept walking, trying to stay clear of Chiron's hooves.

"We haven't seen any other centaurs," I observed.

"No," said Chiron sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

"You said your name was Chiron. Are you really ..."

He smiled down at me. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Dan, I am."

"But, shouldn't you be dead?"

Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish ... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

I thought about being a teacher for three thousand years. It wouldn't have made my Top Ten Things to Wish For list.

"Doesn't it ever get boring?"

"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."

"Why depressing?"

Chiron seemed to turn hard of hearing again.

"Oh, look," he said. "Runo is waiting for us."

The bluenette girl I'd met at the Big House was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.

When we reached her, she looked me over critically, like she was still thinking about how much I drooled.

I tried to see what she was reading, but I couldn't make out the title. I thought my dyslexia was acting up.

Then I realized the title wasn't even English. The letters looked Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek.

There were pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.

"Runo," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Dan from here?"

"Yes."

"Cabin eleven," Chiron told me, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

Out of all the cabins, eleven looked the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. The threshold was worn down, the brown paint peeling.

Over the doorway was one of those doctor's symbols, a winged pole with two snakes wrapped around it. What did they call it... ? A caduceus.

Inside, it was packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds.

Sleeping bags were spread all over on the floor. It looked like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

Chiron didn't go in. The door was too low for him.

But when the campers saw him they all stood and bowed respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Dan. I'll see you at dinner."

He galloped away toward the archery range.

I stood in the doorway, looking at the kids.

They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at me, sizing me up. I knew this routine.

I'd gone through it at enough schools.

"Well?" Runo prompted. "Go on."

So naturally I tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of myself. There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.

Runo announced, "Dan Kuso, meet cabin eleven.

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.

I didn't know what to say, but Runo said, "Undetermined."

Everybody groaned.

A guy who was a little older than the rest came forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Dan. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."

The guy was about nineteen. He was tall with silvery hair and a friendly smile.

He wore a German dress (like a prince) and a leather necklace with five different-colored clay beads.

The only thing unsettling about his appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash.

"This is old Klaus." Runo said. "Head counselor of Cabin eleven."

I didn't think he looked old, and before I could say something-

"Oh come on, sis, I think you need to give a nice introduction of me! You're making me look bad!" Klaus said. "Alice gives awesome introductions of me."

"Do I care about that, you idiot?" She asked him. "And I'm not your sis!"

"He's your brother?" I asked.

"No," she said. "He just has a stupid habit of annoying me. And if it gets him killed, I'm not to blame for it. He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" I asked.

"You're undetermined," Klaus explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

I looked at the tiny section of floor they'd given me.

I had nothing to put there to mark it as my own, no luggage, no clothes, no sleeping bag.

Just the Minotaur's horn.

I thought about setting that down, but then I remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves.

I looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they were waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.

"How long will I be here?" I asked.

"Good question," Klaus said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laughed.

"Come on," Runo told me. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it."

"Come on."

She grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside. I could hear the kids of cabin eleven laughing behind me.

When we were a few feet away, Runo said, "Kuso, you have to do better than that."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."

"What's your problem?" I was getting angry now. "All I know is, I kill some bull guy—"

"Don't talk like that!" Runo told me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"

I shook my head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories ..."

"Yes."

"Then there's only one."

"Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So ..."

"Monsters don't die, Dan. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they re-form."

I thought about Mrs. Green.

"You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword—"

"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Green?"

"You talk in your sleep."

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"

Runo glanced nervously at the ground, as if she expected it to open up and swallow her. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?" I sounded whiny, even to myself, but right then I didn't care. "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."

I pointed to the first few cabins.

And guess what I got? A whack on my head.

"What was that for?!" I demanded.

Before she could answer-

"You're going to chase that guy out of here before he even starts here, Runo." A voice of a girl said.

We turned to see an orange haired girl with chocolate brown eyes coming towards us, followed by a raven haired boy with Amber eyes.

"Hey, Alice..." Runo sighed.

The raven haired boy cleared his throat.

Runo scowled. "And you too, Shun!"

I stared at her waiting for her to introduce me and she finally noticed.

"That is Alice Gehabich." She said pointing towards the orange haired girl. "And that, is Shun Kazami." She said as she glared pointedly at Shun.

"And he is...?" Shun prompted Runo.

"He is Dan Kuso," she said to him.

"Hello, Dan." Alice said and we shook hands, I did the same with Shun.

"And as I was saying, Mister Dan Kuso," Runo said, continuing her answer as to why we couldn't choose a cabin. "You don't just choose a cabin, Dan. It depends on who your parents are. Or ... your parent."

The three of them stared at me, waiting for me to get it.

"My mom is Miyoko Kuso" I said. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Dan. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad." Runo said.

"He's dead. I never knew him."

All three of them sighed.

Clearly, they'd had this conversation before with other kids.

"Your father's not dead, Dan." Shun said.

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not." Alice answered.

"Then how can you say—"

"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us." Runo said.

"You don't know anything about me."

"No?" Shun raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."

"How—"

"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too." Runo continued.

I tried to swallow my embarrassment. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD—you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Dan, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are." Runo explained.

"You've practiced that dialogue well, huh?" Alice said, but Runo chose to ignore that remark.

"You all sound like ... you went through the same thing?" I asked.

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar." Alice explained.

"Ambrosia and nectar."

"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood." Shun said.

A half-blood. I was reeling with so many questions I didn't know where to start.

Then a shrill voice yelled, "Well! A newbie!"

I looked over.

The big girl from the ugly red cabin was sauntering toward us. She had three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.

"Mylene," Runo sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

''Erre es korakas!" Runo said, which I somehow understood was Greek for 'Go to the crows!' though I had a feeling it was a worse curse than it sounded. "You don't stand a chance."

"We'll pulverize you," Mylene said, but her eye twitched.

Perhaps she wasn't sure she could follow through on the threat.

She turned toward me. "Who's this little runt?"

"Dan Kuso," Shun said, "meet Mylene, Daughter of Ares."

I blinked. "Like ... the war god?"

Mylene sneered. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," I said, recovering my wits. "It explains the bad smell."

Mylene growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Danny."

"Dan."

"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Mylene—" Runo tried to say.

"Stay out of it, wise girl."

The three of them looked pained, but they did stay out of it, and I didn't really want their help.

I was the new kid. I had to earn my own rep.

I handed Runo my minotaur horn and got ready to fight, but before I knew it, Mylene had me by the neck and was dragging me toward a cinder-block building that I knew immediately was the bathroom.

I was kicking and punching. I'd been in plenty of fights before, but this big girl Mylene had hands like iron.

She dragged me into the girls' bathroom. There was a line of toilets on one side and a line of shower stalls down the other.

It smelled just like any public bathroom, and I was thinking—as much as I could think with Mylene ripping my hair out—that if this place belonged to the gods, they should've been able to afford classier johns.

Mylene's friends were all laughing, and I was trying to find the strength I'd used to fight the Minotaur, but it just wasn't there.

"Like he's 'Big Three' material," Mylene said as she pushed me toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

Her friends snickered.

Shun and Alice stood at the open doorway, while Runo stood behind the door.

Mylene bent me over on my knees and started pushing my head toward the toilet bowl. It reeked like rusted pipes and, well, like what goes into toilets.

I strained to keep my head up.

I was looking at the scummy water, thinking, I will not go into that. I won't.

Then something happened. I felt a tug in the pit of my stomach. I heard the plumbing rumble, the pipes shudder.

Mylene's grip on my hair loosened. Water shot out of the toilet, making an arc straight over my head, and the next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the bathroom tiles with Mylene screaming behind me.

I turned just as water blasted out of the toilet again, hitting Mylene straight in the face so hard it pushed her down onto her butt.

The water stayed on her like the spray from a fire hose, pushing her backward into a shower stall.

She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming toward her.

But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back.

The showers acted up, too, and together all the fixtures sprayed the camouflage girls right out of the bathroom, spinning them around like pieces of garbage being washed away.

As soon as they were out the door, I felt the tug in my gut lessen, and the water shut off as quickly as it had started. The entire bathroom was flooded.

Alice and Shun weren't spared either, they were dripping wet. Runo was safe because she was standing behind the door.

I looked down and realized I was sitting in the only dry spot in the whole room.

There was a circle of dry floor around me. I didn't have one drop of water on my clothes. Nothing.

I stood up, my legs shaky.

Runo said, "How did you ..."

"I don't know."

I walked out the door.

Outside, Mylene and her friends were sprawled in the mud, and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk at her and her friends.

Her camouflage jacket was sopping and she smelled like sewage.

She gave me a look of absolute hatred.

"You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead."

I probably should have let it go, but I said, "You want to gargle with toilet water again,Mylene? Close your mouth."

Her friends had to hold her back. They dragged her toward cabin five, while the other campers made way to avoid her flailing feet.

Runo stared at me. I couldn't tell whether she was just grossed out or angry at me for dousing Shun and Alice.

"What?" I demanded. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking," she said. "That I want you to be in my team for capture the flag."

 **Dan: That was not funny! I'm not that weak!**

 **Shun: What do you mean that I got doused as well as Alice?!**

 **Alice: I didn't want to get doused...**

 **Runo: I'll just be thankful that I got to whack this guy *looks at Dan***

 **Me: No complaints! I gotta type the next chapter and publish it today itself!**


	7. My Dinner Goes Up In Smoke

**Me: The guilt is gone!**

 **Shun: *sigh***

 **Alice: Don't be rude, Shun.**

 **Shun: Err, Alice, there's nothing rude...**

 **Dan: Pfft. Slice has you wrapped around her finger, Shun!**

 **Runo: I suggest you to shut up before-**

 **Me: *bonks Dan's head***

 **Runo: ...**

 **Dan: TT_TT**

 **Shun: O_O BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

 **Alice: Shun! Stop!**

 **Me: And to avoid this stupidity here... I'm going ahead!**

Word of the bathroom incident spread immediately. Wherever I went, campers pointed at me and murmured something about toilet water. Or maybe they were just staring at Alice and Shun, who were still pretty much dripping wet.

"Guys," Runo said. "You both better go and take a shower or something."

Shun nodded and Alice and Shun left me and Runo to the sight seeing.

"And I'm sorry about the toilets!" I yelled at their retreating backs.

Both turned and nodded as if it was okay.

Runo showed me a few more places: the metal shop (where kids were forging their own swords), the arts-and-crafts room (where satyrs were sandblasting a giant marble statue of a goatman), and the climbing wall, which actually consisted of two facing walls that shook violently, dropped boulders, sprayed lava, and clashed together if you didn't get to the top fast enough.

Finally we returned to the canoeing lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.

"I've got training to do," Runo said. "Dinner's at seven-thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall."

"And I'm sorry about-"

She looked at me skeptically.

"It's not my fault!" I said. But then I realized it was my fault. The toilets had responded to me. I had become the one with plumbing.

"You need to talk to the Oracle," Runo decided.

"Who?"

"Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron."

I stared into the lake, wishing somebody would give me a straight answer for once.

I wasn't expecting anybody to be looking back at me from the bottom, so my heart skipped a beat when I noticed two teenage girls sitting cross-legged at the base of the pier, about twenty feet below.

They wore blue jeans and shimmering green T-shirts, and their brown hair floated loose around their shoulders as minnows darted in and out.

They smiled and waved as if I were a long-lost friend.

I didn't know what else to do. I waved back.

"Don't encourage them," Runo warned. "Naiads are terrible flirts."

"Naiads," I repeated, feeling completely overwhelmed. "That's it. I want to go home now."

Runo frowned. "Don't you get it, Dan? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."

"You mean, mentally disturbed kids?"

"I mean not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."

"Half-human and half-what?"

"I think you know."

I didn't want to admit it, but I was afraid I did. I felt a tingling in my limbs, a sensation I sometimes felt when my mom talked about my dad.

"God," I said. "Half-god."

Runo nodded. "Your father isn't dead, Dan. He's one of the Olympians."

"That's ... crazy."

"Is it? What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"

"But those are just—" I almost said myths again. Then I remembered Chiron's warning that in two thousand years, I might be considered a myth. "But if all the kids here are half-gods—"

"Demigods," Runo said. "That's the official term. Or half-bloods."

"Then who's your dad?"

Her hands tightened around the pier railing. I got the feeling I'd just trespassed on a sensitive subject.

"My dad is a professor at West Point," she said. "I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history, but he also helps in a cafe."

"He's human."

"What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?"

"Who's your mom, then?"

"Cabin six."

"Meaning?"

Runo straightened. "Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle."

Okay, I thought. Why not?

"And Shun and Alice?" I asked.

"Alice is the demigod daughter of Aphrodite. Normally, the demigods here look like their Olympian parent or behave like their Olympian parent. Some are both, whereas some are none. Similarly, Alice behaves more like her mortal dad."

"So, her dad is..."

"He's dead," Runo said softly. "In a car accident."

"And... Shun...?"

"He's the demigod son of Apollo." Runo said. "I guess that could explain his Amber eyes. And he's just like Alice, doesn't behave like Apollo at all, he's more like his mortal mother."

"And his mother-?"

"She's in coma." Runo said. "Just recently somewhere around this year."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Most mortal parents of the demigods are..."

"It's got nothing to do with the Gods or the fact that their kids are demigods... Some just get heartbroken that the God they fell in love with is gone and they drink. And I wasn't surprised when Alice's dad started drinking."

"You've known Alice since when?" I asked her.

"Since I was seven."

"And my dad?"

"Undetermined," Runo said, "like I told you before. Nobody knows."

"Except my mother. She knew."

"Maybe not, Dan. Gods don't always reveal their identities."

"My dad would have. He loved her."

Runo gave me a cautious look. She didn't want to burst my bubble. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he'll send a sign. That's the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens."

"You mean sometimes it doesn't?"

Runo ran her palm along the rail. "The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don't always ... Well, sometimes they don't care about us, Dan. They ignore us."

I thought about some of the kids I'd seen in the Hermes cabin, teenagers who looked sullen and depressed, as if they were waiting for a call that would never come.

I'd known kids like that at Gray High Academy, shuffled off to boarding school by rich parents who didn't have the time to deal with them. But gods should behave better.

"So I'm stuck here," I said. "That's it? For the rest of my life?"

"It depends," Runo said. "Some campers only stay the summer. If you're a child of Aphrodite or Demeter, you're probably not a real powerful force. The monsters might ignore you, so you can get by with a few months of summer training and live in the mortal world the rest of the year. But for some of us, it's too dangerous to leave. We're year-rounders. In the mortal world, we attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. Most of the time, they'll ignore us until we're old enough to cause trouble—about ten or eleven years old, but after that, most demigods either make their way here, or they get killed off. A few manage to survive in the outside world and become famous. Believe me, if I told you the names, you'd know them. Some don't even realize they're demigods. But very, very few are like that."

"So monsters can't get in here?"

Runo shook her head. "Not unless they're intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside."

"Why would anybody want to summon a monster?"

"Practice fights. Practical jokes."

"Practical jokes?"

"The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm."

"So ... you're a year-rounder?"

Runo nodded. From under the collar of her T-shirt she pulled a leather necklace with five clay beads of different colors.

It was just like Alice and Klaus's, except Runo's also had a big gold ring strung on it, like a college ring.

"I've been here since I was seven," she said. "Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I've been here longer than most of the counselors, and they're all in college."

"Why did you come so young?"

She twisted the ring on her necklace. "None of your business."

"Oh." I stood there for a minute in uncomfortable silence. "So ... I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?"

"It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr. D's or Chiron's permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless ..."

"Unless?"

You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time ..." Her voice trailed off.

I could tell from her tone that the last time hadn't gone well.

"Back in the sick room," I said, "when you were feeding me that stuff—"

"Ambrosia."

"Yeah. You asked me something about the summer solstice."

Runo's shoulders tensed. "So you do know something?"

"Well... no. Back at my old school, I overheard Marucho and Chiron talking about it. Marucho mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?"

She clenched her fists. "I wish I knew. Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal."

"You've been to Olympus?"

"Some of us year-rounders—Klaus, Alice and Mylene and I and a few others—we took a field trip during winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council."

"But... how did you get there?"

"The Long Island Railroad, of course. You get off at Penn Station. Empire State Building, special elevator to the six hundredth floor." She looked at me like she was sure I must know this already. "You are a New Yorker, right?"

"Oh, sure." As far as I knew, there were only a hundred and two floors in the Empire State Building, but I decided not to point that out.

"Right after we visited," Runo continued, "the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen. And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping ... I mean— Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Ares. And of course she's got the rivalry with Poseidon. But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something."

I shook my head. I wished I could help her, but I felt too hungry and tired and mentally overloaded to ask any more questions.

"I've got to get a quest," Runo muttered to herself. "I'm not too young. If they would just tell me the problem ..."

I could smell barbecue smoke coming from somewhere nearby. Runo must've heard my stomach growl.

She told me to go on, she'd catch me later.

I left her on the pier, tracing her finger across the rail as if drawing a battle plan.

Back at cabin eleven, everybody was talking and horsing around, waiting for dinner. For the first time, I noticed that a lot of the campers had similar features: sharp noses, upturned eyebrows, mischievous smiles.

They were the kind of kids that teachers would peg as troublemakers. Thankfully, nobody paid much attention to me as I walked over to my spot on the floor and plopped down with my minotaur horn.

The counselor, Klaus, came over. He had the Hermes family resemblance, too. It was marred by that scar on his right cheek, but his smile was intact.

"Found you a sleeping bag," he said. "And here, I bought you some toiletries from the camp store, but I was about to steal them."

I couldn't tell if he was kidding about the stealing part.

I said, "Thanks."

"No problem." Klaus sat next to me, pushed his back against the wall. "Tough first day?"

"I don't belong here," I said. "I don't even believe in gods."

"Yeah," he said. "That's how we all started. Once you start believing in them? It doesn't get any easier."

The bitterness in his voice surprised me, because Klaus seemed like a pretty easygoing guy.

He looked like he could handle just about anything.

"So your dad is Hermes?" I asked.

He pulled a switchblade out of his back pocket, and for a second I thought he was going to gut me, but he just scraped the mud off the sole of his sandal. "Yeah. Hermes."

"The wing-footed messenger guy."

"That's him. Messengers. Medicine. Travelers, merchants, thieves. Anybody who uses the roads. That's why you're here, enjoying cabin eleven's hospitality. Hermes isn't picky about who he sponsors."

I figured Klaus didn't mean to call me a nobody.

He just had a lot on his mind.

"You ever meet your dad?" I asked.

"Once."

I waited, thinking that if he wanted to tell me, he'd tell me.

Apparently, he didn't. I wondered if the story had anything to do with how he got his scar.

Klaus looked up and managed a smile. "Don't worry about it, Dan. The campers here, they're mostly good people. After all, we're extended family, right? We take care of each other."

He seemed to understand how lost I felt, and I was grateful for that, because an older guy like him—even if he was a counselor—should've steered clear of an uncool middle-schooler like me.

But Klaus had welcomed me into the cabin. He'd even bought me some toiletries, which was the nicest thing anybody had done for me all day.

I decided to ask him my last big question, the one that had been bothering me all afternoon.

"Mylene, from Ares, was joking about me being 'Big Three' material. Then Runo... twice, she said I might be 'the one.' She said I should talk to the Oracle. What was that all about?"

Klaus folded his knife. "I hate prophecies."

"What do you mean?"

His face twitched around the scar. "Let's just say I messed things up for everybody else. The last two years, ever since my trip to the Garden of the Hesperides went sour, Chiron hasn't allowed any more quests. Runo's been dying to get out into the world. She pestered Chiron so much he finally told her he already knew her fate. He'd had a prophecy from the Oracle. He wouldn't tell her the whole thing, but he said Runo wasn't destined to go on a quest yet. She had to wait until... somebody special came to the camp."

"Somebody special...?"

"Don't worry about it, kid," Klaus's said. "Runo wants to think every new camper who comes through here is the omen she's been waiting for. Now, come on, it's dinnertime."

The moment he said it, a horn blew in the distance.

Somehow, I knew it was a conch shell, even though I'd never heard one before.

Klaus yelled, "Eleven, fall in!"

The whole cabin, about twenty of us, filed into the commons yard.

We lined up in order of seniority, so of course I was dead last.

Campers came from the other cabins, too, except for the three empty cabins at the end, and cabin eight, which had looked normal in the daytime, but was now starting to glow silver as the sun went down.

We marched up the hill to the mess hall pavilion.

Satyrs joined us from the meadow. Naiads emerged from the canoeing lake. A few other girls came out of the woods— and when I say out of the woods, I mean straight out of the woods. I saw one girl, about nine or ten years old, melt from the side of a maple tree and come skipping up the hill.

In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.

At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns.

A central fire burned in a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin had its own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple.

Four of the tables were empty, but cabin eleven's was way overcrowded. I had to squeeze on to the edge of a bench with half my butt hanging off.

I saw Marucho sitting at table twelve with Mr. D, a few satyrs, and a couple of plump blond boys who looked just like Mr. D.

Chiron stood to one side, the picnic table being way too small for a centaur.

Runo sat at table six with a bunch of serious-looking kids, some athletic. Some had gray eyes.

Alice was with the Aprodite demigods as Shun was with the Apollo demigods.

Mylene sat behind me at Ares's table. She'd apparently gotten over being hosed down, because she was laughing and belching right alongside her friends.

Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent.

He raised a glass. "To the gods!"

Everybody else raised their glasses. "To the gods!"

Wood nymphs came forward with platters of food: grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread, and yes, barbecue!

My glass was empty, but Klaus said, "Speak to it. Whatever you want— nonalcoholic, of course."

I said, "Cherry Coke."

The glass filled with sparkling caramel liquid.

Then I had an idea. "Blue Cherry Coke."

The soda turned a violent shade of cobalt. I took a cautious sip.

Perfect.

I drank a toast to my mother.

She's not gone, I told myself. Not permanently, anyway. She's in the Underworld. And if that's a real place, then someday...

"Here you go, Dan," Klaus said, handing me a platter of smoked brisket.

I loaded my plate and was about to take a big bite when I noticed everybody getting up, carrying their plates toward the fire in the center of the pavilion.

I wondered if they were going for dessert or something.

"Come on," Klaus told me.

As I got closer, I saw that everyone was taking a portion of their meal and dropping it into the fire, the ripest strawberry, the juiciest slice of beef, the warmest, most buttery roll.

Klaus murmured in my ear, "Burnt offerings for the gods. They like the smell."

"You're kidding."

His look warned me not to take this lightly, but I couldn't help wondering why an immortal, all-powerful being would like the smell of burning food.

Klaus approached the fire, bowed his head, and tossed in a cluster of fat red grapes. "Hermes."

I was next.

I wished I knew what god's name to say.

Finally, I made a silent plea. Whoever you are, tell me. Please.

I scraped a big slice of brisket into the flames.

When I caught a whiff of the smoke, I didn't gag.

It smelled nothing like burning food. It smelled of hot chocolate and fresh-baked brownies, hamburgers on the grill and wildflowers, and a hundred other good things that shouldn't have gone well together, but did.

I could almost believe the gods could live off that smoke.

When everybody had returned to their seats and finished eating their meals, Chiron pounded his hoof again for our attention.

Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."

A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table.

"Personally," Mr. D continued, "I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Dean Jose."

Chiron murmured something.

"Er, Dan Kuso," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."

Everybody cheered. We all headed down toward the amphitheater, where Apollo's cabin led a sing-along. (Shun had the biggest frown on his face as he sang)

We sang camp songs about the gods and ate s'mores and joked around, and the funny thing was, I didn't feel that anyone was staring at me anymore.

I felt that I was home.

Later in the evening, when the sparks from the campfire were curling into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and we all filed back to our cabins.

I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I collapsed on my borrowed sleeping bag.

My fingers curled around the Minotaur's horn. I thought about my mom, but I had good thoughts: her smile, the bedtime stories she would read me when I was a kid, the way she would tell me not to let the bedbugs bite.

When I closed my eyes, I fell asleep instantly.

That was my first day at Camp Half-Blood.

I wish I'd known how briefly I would get to enjoy my new home.

 **Dan: You really end chapters in suspense, don't you?**

 **Me: Yes, I do!**

 **Shun: ...**

 **Me: Got a problem, Ninja Boy?**

 **Shun: No...**

 **Me: That's good.**

 **Shun: Where are Alice and Runo?**

 **Me: They're sleeping.**

 **Dan: Aw...**

 **Me: Shut up! And readers, please review!**

 **Dan and Shun: -_-'**


	8. We Capture A Flag

**Me: I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!**

 **Dan: Cut it out!**

 **Me: What?! School started and I just finished a chapter!**

 **Runo: Seriously?**

 **Dan: Can I ask you something?**

 **Me: No**

 **Dan: -_-**

 **Me: I want the readers to get onto this story!**

 **Dan: Fine...**

The next few days I settled into a routine that felt almost normal, if you don't count the fact that I was getting lessons from satyrs, nymphs, and a centaur.

Each morning I took Ancient Greek from Runo, and we talked about the gods and goddesses in the present tense, which was kind of weird.

I discovered Shun, Alice and Runo was right about my dyslexia: Ancient Greek wasn't that hard for me to read. At least, no harder than English.

After a couple of mornings, I could stumble through a few lines of Homer without too much headache.

The rest of the day, I'd rotate through outdoor activities, looking for something I was good at. Chiron tried to teach me archery, but we found out pretty quick I wasn't any good with a bow and arrow.

He didn't complain, even when he had to desnag a stray arrow out of his tail.

Foot racing?

No good either.

The wood-nymph instructors left me in the dust.

They told me not to worry about it. They'd had centuries of practice running away from lovesick gods.

But still, it was a little humiliating to be slower than a tree.

And wrestling?

Forget it.

Every time I got on the mat, Mylene would pulverize me.

"There's more where that came from, punk," she'd mumble in my ear.

The only thing I really excelled at was canoeing, and that wasn't the kind of heroic skill people expected to see from the kid who had beaten the Minotaur.

I knew the senior campers and counselors were watching me, trying to decide who my dad was, but they weren't having an easy time of it.

I wasn't as strong as the Ares kids, or as good at archery as the Apollo kids. I didn't have Hephaestus's skill with metalwork or—gods forbid— Dionysus's way with vine plants.

Klaus told me I might be a child of Hermes, a kind of jack - of - all - trades, master of none. But I got the feeling he was just trying to make me feel better. He really didn't know what to make of me either.

Despite all that, I liked camp. I got used to the morning fog over the beach, the smell of hot strawberry fields in the afternoon, even the weird noises of monsters in the woods at night.

I would eat dinner with cabin eleven, scrape part of my meal into the fire, and try to feel some connection to my real dad.

Nothing came. Just that warm feeling I'd always had, like the memory of his smile.

I tried not to think too much about my mom, but I kept wondering: if gods and monsters were real, if all this magical stuff was possible, surely there was some way to save her, to bring her back...

I started to understand Klaus's bitterness and how he seemed to resent his father, Hermes.

So okay, maybe gods had important things to do. But couldn't they call once in a while, or thunder, or something?

Dionysus could make Diet Coke appear out of thin air.

Why couldn't my dad, whoever he was, make a phone appear?

Thursday afternoon, three days after I'd arrived at Camp Half-Blood, I had my first sword fighting lesson.

Everybody from cabin eleven gathered in the big circular arena, where Klaus would be our instructor.

We started with basic stabbing and slashing, using some straw-stuffed dummies in Greek armor. I guess I did okay.

At least, I understood what I was supposed to do and my reflexes were good.

The problem was, I couldn't find a blade that felt right in my hands. Either they were too heavy, or too light, or too long.

Klaus tried his best to fix me up, but he agreed that none of the practice blades seemed to work for me.

We moved on to dueling in pairs.

Klaus announced he would be my partner, since this was my first time.

"Good luck," one of the campers told me. "Klaus's the best swordsman in the last three hundred years."

"Maybe he'll go easy on me," I said.

The camper snorted.

Klaus showed me thrusts and parries and shield blocks the hard way.

With every swipe, I got a little more battered and bruised.

"Keep your guard up, Dan," he'd say, then whap me in the ribs with the flat of his blade. "No, not that far up!"

Whap!

"Lunge!"

Whap!

"Now, back!"

Whap!

By the time he called a break, I was soaked in sweat. Everybody swarmed the drinks cooler.

Klaus poured ice water on his head, which looked like such a good idea, I did the same.

Instantly, I felt better. Strength surged back into my arms. The sword didn't feel so awkward.

"Okay, everybody circle up!" Klaus ordered. "If Dan doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo."

Great, I thought. Let's all watch Dan get pounded.

The Hermes guys gathered around. They were suppressing smiles. I figured they'd been in my shoes before and couldn't wait to see how Dan used me for a punching bag.

He told everybody he was going to demonstrate a disarming technique: how to twist the enemy's blade with the flat of your own sword so that he had no choice but to drop his weapon.

"This is difficult," he stressed. "I've had it used against me. No laughing at Dan, now. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique."

He demonstrated the move on me in slow motion.

Sure enough, the sword clattered out of my hand.

"Now in real time," he said, after I'd retrieved my weapon. "We keep sparring until one of us pulls it off. Ready, Dan?"

I nodded, and Klaus came after me. Somehow, I kept him from getting a shot at the hilt of my sword.

My senses opened up.

I saw his attacks coming. I countered.

I stepped forward and tried a thrust of my own.

Klaus deflected it easily, but I saw a change in his face.

His eyes narrowed, and he started to press me with more force.

The sword grew heavy in my hand.

The balance wasn't right.

I knew it was only a matter of seconds before Klaus took me down, so I figured, What the heck?

I tried the disarming maneuver.

My blade hit the base of Klaus's and I twisted, putting my whole weight into a downward thrust.

Clang.

Klaus's sword rattled against the stones.

The tip of my blade was an inch from his undefended chest.

The other campers were silent.

I lowered my sword. "Um, sorry."

For a moment, Klaus was too stunned to speak.

"Sorry?" His face broke into a grin. "By the gods, Dan, why are you sorry? Show me that again!"

I didn't want to. The short burst of manic energy had completely abandoned me.

But Dan insisted. This time, there was no contest.

The moment our swords connected, Klaus hit my hilt and sent my weapon skidding across the floor.

After a long pause, somebody in the audience said, "Beginner's luck?"

Klaus wiped the sweat off his brow. He appraised at me with an entirely new interest.

"Maybe," he said. "But I wonder what Dan could do with a balanced sword... ."

Friday afternoon, I was sitting with Marucho and Shun at the lake, resting from a near-death experience on the climbing wall.

Marucho had scampered to the top like a mountain goat, but the lava had almost gotten me. My shirt had smoking holes in it. The hairs had been singed off my forearms. Shun climbed up in a few seconds (he said his grandfather made him learn a few ninja tricks).

Shun then excused himself and went.

We were sitting on the pier, watching the naiads do underwater basket-weaving, until I got up the nerve to ask Marucho how his conversation had gone with Mr. D.

His face turned a sickly shade of yellow.

"Fine," he said. "Just great."

"So your career's still on track?"

He glanced at me nervously. "Chiron t-told you I want a searcher's license?"

"Well... no." I had no idea what a searcher's license was, but it didn't seem like the right time to ask. "He just said you had big plans, you know ... and that you needed credit for completing a keeper's assignment. So did you get it?"

Marucho looked down at the naiads. "Mr. D suspended judgment. He said I hadn't failed or succeeded with you yet, so our fates were still tied together. If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then maybe he'd consider the job complete."

My spirits lifted. "Well, that's not so bad, right?"

"Blaa-ha-ha! He might as well have transferred me to stable-cleaning duty. The chances of you getting a quest... and even if you did, why would you want me along?"

"Of course I'd want you along!"

Marucho stared glumly into the water. "Basket-weaving ... Must be nice to have a useful skill."

I tried to reassure him that he had lots of talents, but that just made him look more miserable.

We talked about canoeing and swordplay for a while, then debated the pros and cons of the different gods.

Finally, I asked him about the four empty cabins.

"Number eight, the silver one, belongs to Artemis," he said. "She vowed to be a maiden forever. So of course, no kids. The cabin is, you know, honorary. If she didn't have one, she'd be mad."

"Yeah, okay. But the other three, the ones at the end. Are those the Big Three?"

Marucho tensed. We were getting close to a touchy subject.

"No. One of them, number two, is Hera's," he said. "That's another honorary thing. She's the goddess of marriage, so of course she wouldn't go around having affairs with mortals. That's her husband's job. When we say the Big Three, we mean the three powerful brothers, the sons of Kronos."

"Zeus, Poseidon, Hades."

"Right. You know. After the great battle with the Titans, they took over the world from their dad and drew lots to decide who got what."

"Zeus got the sky," I remembered. "Poseidon the sea, Hades the Underworld."

"Uh-huh."

"But Hades doesn't have a cabin here."

"No. He doesn't have a throne on Olympus, either. He sort of does his own thing down in the Underworld. If he did have a cabin here ..." Marucho shuddered. "Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that."

"But Zeus and Poseidon—they both had, like, a bazillion kids in the myths. Why are their cabins empty?"

Marucho shifted his hooves uncomfortably. "About sixty years ago, after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children were just too powerful. They were affecting the course of human events too much, causing too much carnage. World War II, you know, that was basically a fight between the sons of Zeus and Poseidon on one side, and the sons of Hades on the other. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them: no more affairs with mortal women. They all swore on the River Styx."

Thunder boomed.

I said, "That's the most serious oath you can make."

Marucho nodded.

"And the brothers kept their word—no kids?"

Marucho's face darkened. "Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon. There was this TV starlet with a big fluffy eighties hairdo—he just couldn't help himself. When their child was born, a little girl named Chan .. . well, the River Styx is serious about promises. Zeus himself got off easy because he's immortal, but he brought a terrible fate on his daughter."

"But that isn't fair.' It wasn't the little girl's fault."

Marucho hesitated. "Dan, children of the Big Three have powers greater than other half bloods. They have a strong aura, a scent that attracts monsters. When Hades found out about the girl, he wasn't too happy about Zeus breaking his oath. Hades let the worst monsters out of Tartarus to torment Chan. A satyr was assigned to be her keeper when she was twelve, but there was nothing he could do. He tried to escort her here with a three other half-bloods she'd befriended. They almost made it. They got all the way to the top of that hill."

He pointed across the valley, to the pine tree where I'd fought the minotaur. "All three Kindly Ones were after them, along with a horde of hellhounds. They were about to be overrun when Chan told her satyr to take the other three half-bloods to safety while she held off the monsters. She was wounded and tired, and she didn't want to live like a hunted animal. The satyr didn't want to leave her, but he couldn't change her mind, and he had to protect the others. So Chan made her final stand alone, at the top of that hill. As she died, Zeus took pity on her. He turned her into that pine tree. Her spirit still helps protect the borders of the valley. That's why the hill is called Half-Blood Hill."

I stared at the pine in the distance. The story made me feel hollow, and guilty too.

A girl my age had sacrificed herself to save her friends.

She had faced a whole army of monsters. Next to that, my victory over the Minotaur didn't seem like much.

I wondered, if I'd acted differently, could I have saved my mother?

"Marucho," I said, "have heroes really gone on quests to the Underworld?"

"Sometimes," he said. "Orpheus. Hercules. Houdini."

"And have they ever returned somebody from the dead?"

"No. Never. Orpheus came close... . Dan, you're not seriously thinking—"

"No," I lied. "I was just wondering. So ... a satyr is always assigned to guard a demigod?"

Marucho studied me warily.

I hadn't persuaded him that I'd really dropped the Underworld idea.

"Not always. We go undercover to a lot of schools. We try to sniff out the half-bloods who have the makings of great heroes. If we find one with a very strong aura, like a child of the Big Three, we alert Chiron. He tries to keep an eye on them, since they could cause really huge problems."

"And you found me. Chiron said you thought I might be something special."

Marucho looked as if I'd just led him into a trap. "I didn't... Oh, listen, don't think like that. If you were—you know—you'd never ever be allowed a quest, and I'd never get my license. You're probably a child of Hermes. Or maybe even one of the minor gods, like Nemesis, the god of revenge. Don't worry, okay?"

I got the idea he was reassuring himself more than me.

That night after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than usual.

At last, it was time for capture the flag.

When the plates were cleared away, the conch horn sounded and we all stood at our tables.

Campers yelled and cheered as Runo and two of her siblings ran into the pavilion carrying a silk banner.

It was about ten feet long, glistening gray, with a painting of a barn owl above an olive tree.

From the opposite side of the pavilion, Mylene and her buddies ran in with another banner, of identical size, but gaudy red, painted with a bloody spear and a boar's head.

I turned to Klaus and yelled over the noise, "Those are the flags?"

"Yeah."

"Ares and Athena always lead the teams?"

"Not always," he said. "But often."

"So, if another cabin captures one, what do you do— repaint the flag?"

He grinned. "You'll see. First we have to get one."

"Whose side are we on?"

He gave me a sly look, as if he knew something I didn't. The scar on his face made him look almost evil in the torchlight. "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help."

The teams were announced.

Athena had made an alliance with Apollo and Hermes, the two biggest cabins.

Apparently, privileges had been traded—shower times, chore schedules, the best slots for activities—in order to win support.

Ares had allied themselves with everybody else: Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus.

From what I'd seen, Dionysus's kids were actually good athletes, but there were only two of them.

Demeter's kids had the edge with nature skills and outdoor stuff but they weren't very aggressive.

Aphrodite's sons and daughters I wasn't too worried about. They mostly sat out every activity and checked their reflections in the lake and did their hair and gossiped (except Alice, but Alice didn't like fights).

Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the metal shop all day.

They might be a problem. That, of course, left Ares's cabin: a dozen of the biggest, ugliest, meanest kids on Long Island, or anywhere else on the planet.

"Athena didn't get alliance from Aphrodite?" I asked. "I thought she might for Alice."

"Ares beat them to it, Mylene thought that Alice would help in finding out what the plan was, but you know, Athena cabin never tries a trick twice."

I nodded. Seeing that Runo was the head counselor, it was no big surprise.

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble.

"Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, oxhide shields coated in metal.

"Whoa," I said. "We're really supposed to use these?"

Luke looked at me as if I were crazy. "Unless you want to get skewered by your friends in cabin five. Here—Chiron thought these would fit. You'll be on border patrol."

My shield was the size of an NBA backboard, with a big caduceus in the middle. It weighed about a million pounds. I could have snowboarded on it fine, but I hoped nobody seriously expected me to run fast.

My helmet, like all the helmets on Athena's side, had a blue horsehair plume on top.

Ares and their allies had red plumes.

Runo yelled, "Blue team, forward!"

We cheered and shook our swords and followed her down the path to the south woods.

The red team yelled taunts at us as they headed off toward the north.

I managed to catch up with Runo without tripping over my equipment.

"Hey."

She kept marching.

"So what's the plan?" I asked. "Got any magic items you can loan me?"

Her hand drifted toward her pocket, as if she were afraid I'd stolen something. "Just watch Mylene's spear," she said. "You don't want that thing touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Has Klaus given you your job?"

"Border patrol, whatever that means."

"It's easy. Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan."

She pushed ahead, leaving me in the dust.

"Okay," I mumbled. "Glad you wanted me on your team."

It was a warm, sticky night. The woods were dark, with fireflies popping in and out of view.

Runo stationed me next to a little creek that gurgled over some rocks, then she and the rest of the team scattered into the trees.

Standing there alone, with my big blue-feathered helmet and my huge shield, I felt like an idiot.

The bronze sword, like all the swords I'd tried so far, seemed balanced wrong.

The leather grip pulled on my hand like a bowling ball. There was no way anybody would actually attack me, would they? I mean, Olympus had to have liability issues, right?

Far away, the conch horn blew. I heard whoops and yells in the woods, the clanking of metal, kids fighting.

A blue-plumed ally from Apollo raced past me like a deer, leaped through the creek, and disappeared into enemy territory.

Great, I thought. I'll miss all the fun, as usual. Then I heard a sound that sent a chill up my spine, a low canine growl, somewhere close by.

I raised my shield instinctively; I had the feeling something was stalking me.

Then the growling stopped. I felt the presence retreating.

On the other side of the creek, the underbrush exploded.

Five Ares warriors came yelling and screaming out of the dark.

"Cream the punk!" Mylene screamed. Her ugly pig eyes glared through the slits of her helmet.

She brandished a five-foot-long spear, its barbed metal tip flickering with red light.

Her siblings had only the standard-issue bronze swords—not that that made me feel any better.

They charged across the stream.

There was no help in sight. I could run. Or I could defend myself against half the Ares cabin.

I managed to sidestep the first kid's swing, but these guys were not as stupid the Minotaur.

They surrounded me, and Mylene thrust at me with her spear. My shield deflected the point, but I felt a painful tingling all over my body.

My hair stood on end.

My shield arm went numb, and the air burned.

Electricity.

Her stupid spear was electric.

I fell back.

Another Ares guy slammed me in the chest with the butt of his sword and I hit the dirt.

They could've kicked me into jelly, but they were too busy laughing.

"Give him a haircut," Mylene said. "Grab his hair."

I managed to get to my feet. I raised my sword, but Mylene slammed it aside with her spear as sparks flew.

Now both my arms felt numb.

"Oh, wow," Mylene said. "I'm scared of this guy. Really scared."

"The flag is that way," I told her. I wanted to sound angry, but I was afraid it didn't come out that way.

"Yeah," one of her siblings said. "But see, we don't care about the flag. We care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid."

"You do that without my help," I told them.

It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.

Two of them came at me.

I backed up toward the creek, tried to raise my shield, but Mylene was too fast.

Her spear stuck me straight in the ribs.

If I hadn't been wearing an armored breastplate, I would've been shish - ke - babbed.

As it was, the electric point just about shocked my teeth out of my mouth.

One of her cabin mates slashed his sword across my arm, leaving a good size cut.

Seeing my own blood made me dizzy—warm and cold at the same time.

"No maiming," I managed to say.

"Oops," the guy said. "Guess I lost my dessert privilege.

He pushed me into the creek and I landed with a splash.

They all laughed. I figured as soon as they were through being amused, I would die.

But then something happened.

The water seemed to wake up my senses, as if I'd just had a bag of my mom's double-espresso jelly beans.

Mylene and her cabin mates came into the creek to get me, but I stood to meet them.

I knew what to do. I swung the flat of my sword against the first guy's head and knocked his helmet clean off.

I hit him so hard I could see his eyes vibrating as he crumpled into the water.

Ugly Number Two and Ugly Number Three came at me.

I slammed one in the face with my shield and used my sword to shear off the other guy's horsehair plume.

Both of them backed up quick.

Ugly Number Four didn't look really anxious to attack, but Mylene kept coming, the point of her spear crackling with energy.

As soon as she thrust, I caught the shaft between the edge of my shield and my sword, and I snapped it like a twig.

"Ah!" she screamed. "You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!"

She probably would've said worse, but I smacked her between the eyes with my sword-butt and sent her stumbling backward out of the creek.

Then I heard yelling, elated screams, and I saw Klaus racing toward the boundary line with the red team's banner lifted high.

He was flanked by a couple of Hermes guys covering his retreat, and a few Apollos behind them, led by Shun, fighting off the Hephaestus kids.

The Ares folks got up, and Mylene muttered a dazed curse.

"A trick!" she shouted. "It was a trick."

They staggered after Klaus, but it was too late.

Everybody converged on the creek as Klaus ran across into friendly territory.

Our side exploded into cheers. The red banner shimmered and turned to silver.

The boar and spear were replaced with a huge caduceus, the symbol of cabin eleven.

Everybody on the blue team picked up Klaus and started carrying him around on their shoulders.

Chiron cantered out from the woods and blew the conch horn.

The game was over.

We'd won.

I was about to join the celebration when Runo's voice, right next to me in the creek, said, "Not bad, hero."

I looked, but she wasn't there.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" she asked.

The air shimmered, and she materialized, holding a Yankees baseball cap as if she'd just taken it off her head.

I stared at her in silence.

Then suddenly, I felt angry.

"You set me up," I said. "You put me here because you knew Mylene would come after me, while you sent Klaus and Shun around the flank. You had it all figured out."

Runo shrugged. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."

"A plan to get me pulverized."

"I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in, but ..." She shrugged. "You didn't need help."

Then she noticed my wounded arm. "How did you do that?"

"Sword cut," I said. "What do you think?"

"No. It was a sword cut. Look at it."

The blood was gone.

Where the huge cut had been, there was a long white scratch, and even that was fading.

As I watched, it turned into a small scar, and disappeared.

"I—I don't get it," I said.

Runo was thinking hard. I could almost see the gears turning.

She looked down at my feet, then at Mylene's broken spear, and said, "Step out of the water, Dan."

"What—"

"Just do it."

I came out of the creek and immediately felt bone tired.

My arms started to go numb again. My adrenaline rush left me.

I almost fell over, but Runo steadied me.

"Oh, Styx," she cursed. "This is not good. I didn't want ... I assumed it would be Zeus... ."

Before I could ask what she meant, I heard that canine growl again, but much closer than before.

A howl ripped through the forest.

The campers' cheering died instantly.

Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which I would realize, only later, I had understood perfectly: "Stand ready! My bow!"

Runo drew her sword.

There on the rocks just above us was a black hound the size of a rhino, with lava-red eyes and fangs like daggers.

It was looking straight at me.

Nobody moved except Runo, who yelled, "Dan, run!"

She tried to step in front of me, but the hound was too fast.

It leaped over her—an enormous shadow with teeth—and just as it hit me, as I stumbled backward and felt its razor-sharp claws ripping through my armor, there was a cascade of thwacking sounds, like forty pieces of paper being ripped one after the other.

From the hounds neck sprouted a cluster of arrows.

The monster fell dead at my feet.

By some miracle, I was still alive.

I didn't want to look underneath the ruins of my shredded armor.

My chest felt warm and wet, and I knew I was badly cut.

Another second, and the monster would've turned me into a hundred pounds of delicatessen meat.

Chiron trotted up next to us, a bow in his hand, his face grim.

"Di immortales!" Runo said. "That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't ... they're not supposed to ..."

"Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp."

Klaus came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.

Mylene yelled, "It's all Dan's fault! Dan summoned it!"

"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her.

We watched the body of the hellhound melt into shadow, soaking into the ground until it disappeared.

"You're wounded," Runo told me. "Quick, Dan, get in the water."

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not," she said. "Chiron, watch this."

I was too tired to argue.

I stepped back into the creek, the whole camp gathering around me.

Instantly, I felt better. I could feel the cuts on my chest closing up.

Some of the campers gasped.

"Look, I—I don't know why," I said, trying to apologize. "I'm sorry..."

I looked towards Shun, he looked totally different with the look of horror on his face, and Alice too. I wondered what was up, because the whole camp was horror struck.

But they weren't watching my wounds heal.

They were staring at something above my head.

"Dan," Runo said, pointing. "Um ..."

By the time I looked up, the sign was already fading, but I could still make out the hologram of green light, spinning and gleaming. A three-tipped spear: a trident.

"Your father," Runo murmured. "This is really not good."

"It is determined," Chiron announced.

All around me, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin, though they didn't look happy about it.

"My father?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earth Shaker, Storm Bringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."

 **Me: Yay! I updated!**

 **Shun: Just a while ago you were in depression because you didn't update...**

 **Me: Hey! Not my fault that I got into so much homework! I finished today's homework as fast as possible to update!**

 **Dan: Idiot...**

 **Runo: You're all annoying**

 **Me: Geez, Thanks. And please don't forget to review!**


	9. I Am Offered A Quest

The next morning, Chiron moved me to cabin three.

I didn't have to share with anybody. I had plenty of room for all my stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag.

I got to sit at my own dinner table, pick all my own activities, call "lights out" whenever I felt like it, and not listen to anybody else.

And I was absolutely miserable.

Just when I'd started to feel accepted, to feel I had a home in cabin eleven and I might be a normal kid—or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood—I'd been separated out as if I had some rare disease.

Nobody mentioned the hellhound, but I got the feeling they were all talking about it behind my back.

The attack had scared everybody.

It sent two messages: one, that I was the son of the Sea God; and two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill me.

They could even invade a camp that had always been considered safe.

The other campers steered clear of me as much as possible.

Cabin eleven was too nervous to have sword class with me after what I'd done to the Ares folks in the woods, so my lessons with Klaus became one-on-one.

He pushed me harder than ever, and wasn't afraid to bruise me up in the process. "You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised, as we were working with swords and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions."

Runo still taught me Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted.

Every time I said something, she scowled at me, as if I'd just poked her between the eyes.

After lessons, she would walk away muttering to herself: "Quest ... Poseidon? ... Stupid Foolish ... Got to make a plan ..."

Alice and Shun were occupied into their schedules

Even Mylene kept her distance, though her venomous looks made it clear she wanted to kill me for breaking her magic spear.

I wished she would just yell or punch me or something. I'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.

I knew somebody at camp resented me, because one night I came into my cabin and found a mortal newspaper dropped inside the doorway, a copy of the New York Daily News, opened to the Metro page.

The article took me almost an hour to read, because the angrier I got, the more the words floated around on the page.

BOY AND MOTHER STILL MISSING AFTER FREAK CAR ACCIDENT

BY EILEEN SMYTHE

Miyoko Kuso and son Dan are still missing one week after their mysterious disappearance. The family's badly burned '78 Camaro was discovered last Saturday on a north Long Island road with the roof ripped off and the front axle broken. The car had flipped and skidded for several hundred feet before exploding.

Mother and son had gone for a weekend vacation to Montauk, but left hastily, under mysterious circumstances.

Small traces of blood were found in the car and near the scene of the wreck, but there were no other signs of the missing Kusos. Residents in the rural area reported seeing nothing unusual around the time of the accident. Ms. Kuso's husband, Ben, claims that his stepson, Dan Kuso, is a troubled child who has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools and has expressed violent tendencies in the past.

Police would not say whether son Dan is a suspect in his mother's disappearance, but they have not ruled out foul play.

Below are recent pictures of Miyoko and Dan. Police urge anyone with information to call the following toll-free crime-stoppers hotline.

The phone number was circled in black marker.

I wadded up the paper and threw it away, then flopped down in my bunk bed in the middle of my empty cabin.

"Lights out," I told myself miserably.

That night, I had my worst dream yet. I was running along the beach in a storm.

This time, there was a city behind me. Not New York.

The sprawl was different: buildings spread farther apart, palm trees and low hills in the distance.

About a hundred yards down the surf, two men were fighting.

They looked like TV wrestlers, muscular, with beards and long hair.

Both wore flowing Greek tunics, one trimmed in blue, the other in green.

They grappled with each other, wrestled, kicked and head-butted, and every time they connected, lightning flashed, the sky grew darker, and the wind rose.

I had to stop them. I didn't know why.

But the harder I ran, the more the wind blew me back, until I was running in place, my heels digging uselessly in the sand.

Over the roar of the storm, I could hear the blue-robed one yelling at the green-robed one, "Give it back! Give it back!"

Like a kindergartner fighting over a toy.

The waves got bigger, crashing into the beach, spraying me with salt.

I yelled, "Stop it! Stop fighting!"

The ground shook.

Laughter came from somewhere under the earth, and a voice so deep and evil it turned my blood to ice.

"Come down, little hero," the voice crooned. "Come down!"

The sand split beneath me, opening up a crevice straight down to the center of the earth.

My feet slipped, and darkness swallowed me.

I woke up, sure I was falling. I was still in bed in cabin three.

My body told me it was morning, but it was dark outside, and thunder rolled across the hills.

A storm was brewing. I hadn't dreamed that.

I heard a clopping sound at the door, a hoof knocking on the threshold.

"Come in?"

Marucho trotted inside, looking worried. Alice was with him too.

"Mr. D wants to see you." Alice said.

"Why?"

"He wants to kill - I mean, I'd better let him tell you." Marucho said.

Nervously, I got dressed and followed, sure that I was in huge trouble.

For days, I'd been half expecting a summons to the Big House.

Now that I was declared a son of Poseidon, one of the Big Three gods who weren't supposed to have kids, I figured it was a crime for me just to be alive.

The other gods had probably been debating the best way to punish me for existing, and now Mr. D was ready to deliver their verdict.

Over Long Island Sound, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil.

A hazy curtain of rain was coming in our direction.

I asked Marucho and Alice if we needed an umbrella.

"No," Marucho said. "It never rains here unless we want it to."

I pointed at the storm. "What the heck is that, then?"

The two of them glanced uneasily at the sky.

"It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does." Alice said.

I realized he was right. In the week I'd been here, it had never even been overcast.

The few rain clouds I'd seen had skirted right around the edges of the valley.

But this storm ... this one was huge.

At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. (Where the heck was Shun?!)

Dionysus's twins were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow.

Everybody was going about their normal business, but they looked tense.

They kept their eyes on the storm.

Marucho, Alice and I walked up to the front porch of the Big House.

Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on my first day.

Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. They were playing against invisible opponents-two sets of cards hovering in the air. "

Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity."

I waited.

"Come closer," Mr. D said. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father."

A net of lightning flashed across the clouds.

Thunder shook the windows of the house.

"Blah, blah, blah," Dionysus said.

Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Marucho cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth as Alice tried to make him at ease.

"If I had my way," Dionysus said, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."

"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.

"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."

"Mr. D—" Chiron warned.

"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness."

Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Daniel Kuso, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."

Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle.

A credit card? No, Mr. D wouldn't be that rich, would he? Fine sorry.

It was a security pass.

He snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him.

He became a hologram, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.

Chiron smiled at me, but he looked tired and strained. "Sit, Dan, please. And you two as well."

We did.

Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.

"Tell me, Dan," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?"

Just hearing the name made me shudder.

Chiron probably wanted me to say, Heck, it was nothing. I eat hellhounds for breakfast.

But I didn't feel like lying.

"It scared me," I said. "If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."

"You'll meet worse, Dan. Far worse, before you're done."

"Done ... with what?"

"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?"

I glanced at Marucho, who was crossing his fingers.

"Um, sir," I said, "you haven't told me what it is yet."

Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."

Thunder rumbled across the valley.

The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.

"Poseidon and Zeus," I said. "They're fighting over something valuable ... something that was stolen, aren't they?"

The three of them exchanged looks.

Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair.

"How did you know that?"

My face felt hot. I wished I hadn't opened my big mouth.

"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Runo, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And ... I've also been having these dreams."

"I knew it," Marucho said.

"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.

"But it is his quest!" Alice's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"

"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Dan, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."

I laughed nervously. "A what?"

And suddenly, I felt a whack on my head.

"Ow!" I said as I rubbed my head.

Chiron gave a warning look, but I had a feeling that it wasn't for me.

"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."

"Oh."

"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

"And it's missing?"

"Stolen," Chiron said.

"By who?"

"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. "By you." My mouth fell open.

"At least"—Chiron held up a hand—"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."

"But I didn't—"

"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."

"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"

Chiron, Alice and Marucho glanced nervously at the sky.

The clouds didn't seem to be parting around us, as Marucho and Alice had promised.

They were rolling straight over our valley, sealing us in like a coffin lid.

"Er, Dan ...?" Marucho said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."

"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-nine on your final exam..."

He looked at me as if he actually expected me to remember question thirty-nine.

How could anyone accuse me of stealing a god's weapon? I couldn't even steal a slice of pizza from Ben's poker party without getting busted.

Chiron was waiting for an answer.

"Something about a golden net?" I guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods ... they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"

"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along—the proverbial last straw."

"But I'm just a kid!"

"Dan," Alice cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"

"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon—my dad—he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"

Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Dan?"

"Bad?" I guessed.

"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."

"Bad," I repeated.

"And you, Dan Kuso, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."

It started to rain.

Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky.

I had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill.

Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of me. I was furious.

"So I have to find the stupid bolt," I said. "And return it to Zeus."

"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"

"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"

"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago ... well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."

"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"

"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."

I swallowed. "Good reason."

"You agree then?"

I looked at Marucho, who nodded encouragingly.

Easy for him. I was the one Zeus wanted to kill.

"All right," I said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Dan Kuso, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

Four flights up, the stairs ended under a green trapdoor. I pulled the cord.

The door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place.

The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else ... a smell I remembered from biology class.

Reptiles.

The smell of snakes.

(Ewww...)

I held my breath and climbed.

The attic was filled with Greek hero junk: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS.

One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters.

A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.

By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy.

Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk.

She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair.

The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.

Looking at her sent chills up my back.

And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth.

A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. I stumbled over myself trying to get to the trapdoor, but it slammed shut.

Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.

I wanted to say, No thanks, wrong door, just looking for the bathroom.

But I forced myself to take a deep breath. The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome receptacle for something else, the power that was now swirling around me in the green mist.

But its presence didn't feel evil, like my demonic math teacher Mrs. Green or the Minotaur. It felt more like the Three Fates I'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful, and definitely not human.

But not particularly interested in killing me, either.

I got up the courage to ask, "What is my destiny?"

The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of me and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars.

Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer.

It was Smelly Ben and his buddies.

My fists clenched, though I knew this poker party couldn't be real.

It was an illusion, made out of mist.

Ben turned toward me and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.

His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.

The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall he betrayed by one who calls you a friend.

Finally, our building super, delivered the worst line of all: And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.

The figures began to dissolve.

At first I was too stunned to say anything, but as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy, I cried, "Wait! What do you mean? What friend? What will I fail to save?"

The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth.

She reclined back against the wall.

Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years.

The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos.

I got the feeling that I could stand here until I had cobwebs, too, and I wouldn't learn anything else.

My audience with the Oracle was over.

"Well?" Chiron asked me.

I slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen."

Marucho sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"

"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."

My ears were still tingling from the reptilian voice. "She . .. she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."

"I knew it," Marucho said.

Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"

I didn't want to tell him. What friend would betray me? I didn't have that many. And the last line—I would fail to save what mattered most.

What kind of Oracle would send me on a quest and tell me, Oh, by the way, you'll fail

How could I confess that?

"No," I said. "That's about it."

He studied my face. "Very well, Dan. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."

I got the feeling he knew I was holding back something bad, and he was trying to make me feel better.

"Okay," I said, anxious to change topics. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"

"Ah, think, Dan," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"

"Somebody else who wants to take over?" I guessed.

"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."

I thought about my dreams, the evil voice that had spoken from under the ground.

"Hades."

Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."

A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Marucho's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"

Alice looked stunned.

"A Fury came after Dan," Chiron reminded them. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."

"Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," Alice protested. "Especially if he has found out Dan is a son of Poseidon... ."

"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Dan to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."

"Great," I muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."

"But a quest to ..." Marucho swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."

"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Dan must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."

A strange fire burned in my stomach.

The weirdest thing was: it wasn't fear. It was anticipation.

The desire for revenge. Hades had tried to kill me three times so far, with the Fury, the Minotaur, and the hellhound.

It was his fault my mother had disappeared in a flash of light.

Now he was trying to frame me and my dad for a theft we hadn't committed.

I was ready to take him on.

Besides, if my mother was in the Underworld ...

Whoa, boy, said the small part of my brain that was still sane. You're a kid. Hades is a god.

Marucho was trembling.

He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.

The poor guy needed to complete a quest with me so he could get his searcher's license, whatever that was, but how could I ask him to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said I was destined to fail?

This was suicide.

"Look, if we know it's Hades," I told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."

"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades—and I imagine Poseidon does—they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"

"You're saying I'm being used."

"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."

My dad needs me. Emotions rolled around inside me like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope.

I didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry.

Poseidon had ignored me for twelve years.

Now suddenly he needed me.

I looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"

"I had my suspicions. As I said ... I've spoken to the Oracle, too."

I got the feeling there was a lot he wasn't telling me about his prophecy, but I decided I couldn't worry about that right now.

After all, I was holding back information too.

"So let me get this straight," I said. "I'm supposed go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."

"Check," Chiron said.

"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."

"Check."

"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."

"That's about right."

I looked at Marucho, who gulped down the ace of hearts.

"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly.

"You don't have to go," I told him. "I can't ask that of you.

"Oh ..." He shifted his hooves. "No ... it's just that satyrs and underground places ... well..."

He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his Tshirt.

"You saved my life, Dan. If ... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."

I felt so relieved I wanted to cry, though I didn't think that would be very heroic.

Marucho was the only friend I'd ever had for longer than a few months.

I wasn't sure what good a satyr could do against the forces of the dead, but I felt better knowing he'd be with me.

"All the way, Lil' fellow." I turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."

"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."

"Where?"

Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."

"Oh," I said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane—"

"No!" Alice shrieked. "Dan, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"

I shook my head, feeling embarrassed.

My mom had never taken me anywhere by plane.

She'd always said we didn't have the money.

Besides, her parents had died in a plane crash.

"Dan, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."

Overhead, lightning crackled.

Thunder boomed.

"Okay," I said, determined not to look at the storm. "So, I'll travel overland."

"That's right," Chiron said. "Four companions may accompany you. Marucho and Alice are two. The other two have already volunteered, if you will accept their help."

"Who?" I asked.

Just then, Shun jumped from the ceiling.

I got scared out of my day lights.

"Woah!" I screamed as he landed next to Chiron.

As if my shock wasn't enough, the air shimmered behind me and I saw Runo stuffing her Yankees baseball cap into her back pocket.

I jumped.

"Anyone else hidden?" I asked.

"No," Chiron said, though it looked as if he was trying not to smile.

I looked at Runo. "You were the one who whacked me?!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, if you're going on a quest, then I'm coming along, whether you like it or not. I'm the best person to keep it you from messing up." She said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but I'm coming, Doofus."

(A/N: Yes, the replacement of Seaweed Brain is Doofus)

"So I suppose you have a plan, kid?" I said.

(A/N: The replacement of Wise Girl is Kid)

Her cheeks turned red. "Do you want my help or not?!"

Actually, I needed all the help i could have.

"Well, I'll be one of the ones to keep you and Marucho in line," Shun said to me. "You both might mess up."

"Hey!" Me and Marucho complained.

"Fine..." I said to Chiron. "This'll work."

"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."

Lightning flashed.

Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.

"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."

 **Sorry for not bringing Dan in-**

 **Dan: Hey!**

 **Me: How did you get here? I locked the room!**

 **Dan: It's my business to know what you typed about me!**

 **Me: Fine, go ahead, read, I've already published it.**

 **Dan: ? ﾟﾘﾀ** **? ﾟﾘﾀ**

 **I'll do my best to update soon!**


	10. We Ruin A Perfectly Good Bus

**Me: Hi guys! The real fun is gonna begin now! *grins***

 **Dan: (horrified)**

 **Dan: I'd like pretty flowers for my funeral!**

 **Me: Shut up and read!**

 **Dan: What more do I have to read? You killed my mom!**

 **Me: Just. Read.**

It didn't take us long to pack. I only packed some clothes and tooth brush in the rucksack that Shun had lent me.

The camp store gave me a loan of 100 Dollars and 20 Gold Drachmas. I just hoped we didn't have to actually pay them back, because basically, I'm broke.

The drachmas were basically the size of the cookies that Girl Scouts sold from door to door. Each one on one side had the Empire State Building, but on the other side, it was a picture of a God or Goddess.

I'd learnt that the ancient drachmas were silver and not gold, but Chiron told me that the Olympians never use less than pure gold.

When I asked Runo why we needed the Drachmas, she told me that we needed them for non-mortal transactions.

Then I asked her what did she mean by the 'non-mortal' transaction thing, she just glared at me and I took it as a cue to shut up.

Then Chiron gave me, Shun, Runo and Alice a ziplock bag of Ambrosia each and a small bottle of nectar each.

He kept reminding us that it was God food and that we should only take some if we were seriously injured. He also warned us that if we took a lot, we would literally burn. He made us promise not to leave it lying around for a mortals because it was lethal to one.

I checked out what the others had packed.

Runo was bringing her cap of invisibility (Alice told me that it was a gift to Runo from her mom Athena on her 11th birthday) She was also bringing two books - One on famous architecture blah blah blah in Ancient Greek and the other one was something I couldn't read. She also had a long bronze knife, which she decided to hide in her shirt sleeve for emergencies. I just hoped it didn't get us busted when we went through a metal detector or something.

Alice was bringing a bronze dagger, she said that she didn't like using swords much. Besides, she couldn't handle the dagger much. Alice was bringing a book in English (Thank The Gods) It was called : Gods, a myth?

Seriously, I'm wondering if we'll get busted.

 ** _(A/N: That book is a made up one, guys!)_**

Shun had put a quiver of arrows and a bow in his backpack. He also borrowed some water and kept it in there.

Now I'm really wondering if we'll get busted

Marucho was wearing a bowler hat (which didn't suit him much) to cover his horns. He wore his fake feet and pants to look like an average human. He had stuffed his backpack with some scrapes of metal (to eat) and apples to eat. He was also carrying reed pipes which he claimed his dad made for him. But he only knew two songs. One of Penny Board and the other of Piano Concerto No. 12

 ** _(A/N: Penny Board is a fiction!)_**

We waved good bye to the other campers, and took a look around. Then we hiked up the hill and finally reached the pine tree that used to be Chan, daughter of Zeus.

Chiron was waiting for us there, he was in his wheelchair.

And next to him I saw that surfer dude whom I saw in that hospital room.

Ok, so I wasn't going mad, he really did have eyes all over his body.

"He's the camp's head of security." Marucho told me in a whisper.

That surfer dude was wearing a chauffeur's clothes. So we only got to see the eyes on his face, neck and hands.

Chiron cleared his throat. "This is Argus, he'll be driving you all into the city and um, Er... Keep an eye on things."

Just then, I heard footsteps behind us.

It was Klaus, he was running towards us with a pair of football shoes.

"Hey," he said casually as though he hadn't run in full speed up the hill (I guess he thought it wasn't much Prince-like) "Glad I caught you."

Alice blushed.

I wasn't an expert in love, but it seemed as though there was a tension in the air.

To be more specific - Between Shun, Alice and Klaus.

I looked sidewards at Shun and he was looking pointedly at the ground.

"Just wanted to wish you luck, and," Klaus said to me. "Um... Maybe you can use these..."

He handed me the football shoes. They looked normal.

Klaus then said, "Maia!"

Just as he said that, the shoes sprouted white wings on the heels. I dropped them in surprise. The shoes flew around the ground a bit till Klaus said the reverse word for Maia - Leto.

"Cool!" Marucho said.

Klaus smiled. "I used them in my quest and it came in pretty handy. Dad gave it to me as a gift, but I don't use them much..." His expression changed to sad.

I didn't know what to say... I thought that he might hate me for all the attention, but here he is, giving me the magic shoes... It made me go almost as red as Alice.

"Hey, Klaus," I said. "Thanks."

"Listen, you guys," Klaus told us. "There are a lot of hopes with you and... Kill some monsters for me, okay?"

Klaus shook hands with me and Shun. Then he patted Marucho's head and told him that he would get a searcher's license soon. Then he hugged Alice good bye, who looked ready to pass out.

When Klaus hugged Runo, she didn't give that 'pass out' expression from Alice, she was just normal.

After Klaus had gone back safely, I heard Shun say something to Alice, "You're getting hyperventilated."

Alice blushed a bit. "No, I'm not..."

I had a feeling that an argument was going to break out, and I knew that Runo knew too.

"Alice, go to the car." Runo said in a solemn kind of voice.

Alice obeyed and went down the other side of the hill where there was a plain white SUV. Argus took the car keys from his pocket and went after her as Runo gave Shun a 'Don't-You-Dare-Discuss-About-Klaus' look.

I looked down at the football shoes that Klaus had given me. Then I looked at Chiron.

"I should use them, right?" I asked. "I mean, I can't go in the air."

"Klaus wanted to help, Dan, but yes, you're right, you definitely can't use them." Chiron replied after a sigh.

Then an idea struck me.

"Her, Marucho?"

"Yeah?"

"Want some super cool football flying shoes?"

"What?! Me?"

I nodded and tossed the shoes over to him.

And in a few minutes, the universe's first flying satyr was ready for take off.

"Maia!" Marucho yelled.

Immediately, the wings sprouted and started fluttering. He got off the ground, but I guess he needed to practice to balance and all, because well, he rolled and jumped in the air and he looked like he was going to be sick.

Shun managed to bring him back down by reminding Marucho to yell - Leto!

That did the trick.

Marucho came back down and he staggered around for a while.

"You'll just need practice!" Chiron called after him as he headed to the SUV.

Shun followed him, ready to catch him incase he collapsed or something.

Runo mumbled a Bye to Chiron and headed off towards the SUV.

Before I could follow, Chiron stopped me.

"I'm so sorry, Dan... I wish I could've... Given you more training, you've just Come... Hercules, Jason, they all had more training."

"It's ok." I told him. "I just wish-"

I stopped. What would I wish? Maybe a magical item from my dad?

"Oh how could I let you go without this?" He questioned himself as he dug into his pocket.

He pulled out a pen. It clearly had black ink. It was most probably a ball point pen. Maybe it would've costed 30 or 20 cents.

"Um... Thanks?"

"That's a gift from your father, I kept it with me, not sure what to do with it, but now it's clear. You're the real owner of this." Chiron said.

"How do you know?"

"Prophecy." He answered simply.

Then a flash of memory came to me. The Metropolitan Museum of Art! Chiron had thrown me a pen which became a sword! Could this be it...?

I removed the cap and the sword became longer and heavier. Soon, in about lest than a second, I had a shimmering, shining bronze sword, it was a double edged one. It had a leather wrapped grip and a flat hilt studded with golden and red studs.

That was the first weapon that felt balanced with my hand.

"That sword you hold has a tragic history, which we'd better not to into," Chiron explained. "It's called Drago."

"Drago..." I repeated, still looking at the hilt.

"Use it only for emergencies, like, against monsters. It can't harm regular mortals." Chiron said.

"Wait,' I said looking up. "Why not?"

If it would've worked against mortals, I would've used Smelly Ben as my target.

"The sword is celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blade will pass through mortals like an illusion. They simply are not important enough for the blade to kill. And I should warn you: as a demigod, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."

"Oh..." I feigned happiness. "That's awesome."

I recapped the pen and put it in my pocket.

"You can't lose the pen." Chiron said.

"What?" I asked, I thought he was instructing me or something because I'm seriously in the third or second position for losing pens at school.

"Take the pen out of your pocket and throw it as far as possible." Chiron told me.

I took it out and threw it like I was throwing a rope or something.

After a few moments...

"Now check your pocket." Chiron said.

I put my hand in my pocket and guess what? The pen/sword was there.

"That's awesome!" I said. "But, won't any mortal see me taking out my sword?"

"Mist is really powerful, Dan." Chiron explained.

"The what?"

"The Mist. If you want a detailed explanation, read the Olympus Daily, Athena and Hecate write articles about it-"

"The goddesses write articles?" I interrupted.

Chiron nodded. "Whenever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-blood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go to fit things into their version of reality."

I needed a phone. But Shun had explained that cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be worse than sending up a flare.

"Chiron? There was a time before the Gods right?" I asked.

"Not one, but four."

"So... How was it before the Gods?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."

But before I could ask more-

"Hey, Doofus! You coming or we leave without you?!" Runo screamed from inside the SUV.

I said a Bye to Chiron.

When I got to the bottom of the hill, I looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Chan, daughter of Zeus, Chiron was now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute.

Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur teacher.

Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island.

Shun was in the front seat with Argus, Alice was sitting near the window, and she was squeezed with Shun in the front seat.

I was sitting in the normal seat with Runo, and poor little goat Marucho had to sit on a baby seat!

"Argus! Can't you remove this?!" Marucho yelled. "My ass hurts!"

"You mean your goat ass hurts." Shun stated as he shifted a bit to give Alice some more space.

"Hey!"

Then, I looked at Runo.

"So far, so good. No monsters, huh?" I asked her.

She glared at me. "Don't you dare talk like that. It's always bad luck, Doofus."

"Oh yeah? Then tell me, why do you hate me?" I asked.

"I don't hate you!" She said indignantly.

Shun snorted as Runo gave him a look to shut up.

"Look, we aren't supposed to get along." Runo told me.

"Why? Is there a rule in Olympus that each demigod should hate another?" I asked.

And answer? A whack on my head.

"Shut up, Doofus. Our parents are rivals." She explained. "There was time when my mom caught Poseidon and his girlfriend in her temple. And then they competed for Athens. Your dad created horses or some salt water spring, whereas my mom created an olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, and they took her as the patron goddess and named the city after her."

"Olives?" I pondered. "The Athenians must've really loved olives."

"Forget it."

"If Athena invented Pizza, then maybe I would've-"

"I said forget it!" She yelled at me as she whacked me again.

"Geez, you don't have to-"

But a red warning look from Marucho made me stop.

And I could say that Marucho wanted to get off his baby seat.

Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.

Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my mom and Ben's apartment.

Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with my picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

I ripped it off so that the others wouldn't notice it.

"I saw that." A voice stated.

I froze and turned to see Shun, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

"Don't tell anyone." I said.

"They're eventually going to find out."

"How?" I asked.

He pointed and I saw that the posters were almost everywhere.

"Oh, you're a criminal for the mortals, huh?" Runo asked as she saw a poster.

Marucho was standing and was doing some goat stuff that I shouldn't go into.

"My ass hurts!" He brayed as Argus gave us our backpacks and drove off.

I looked at the direction where my apartment was, I thought of my mom, Smelly Ben, who was probably playing playing poker.

"Wanna know why your mom married that jerk, Dan?" Marucho asked me in a low voice so that only the two of us could talk.

"Did you get into my mind or something?!" I demanded in a low voice.

"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your jerk of a stepdad, right?"

"Um, yeah? So... Why did my mom marry Smelly Ben?"

"You might call that guy Smelly, but it is the truth. That guy... Well, he had this aura that can mask the scent of any demigod. The moment I got into his Camaro at Montauk, I knew: Ben had been covering your scent all these years. If you hadn't been living with him all summer, then monsters would've found you a long time ago. I can still smell traces of him on you...Your mom is smart, she knew all this." Marucho explained.

I looked at myself. "Where the nearest shower?"

I wondered if Marucho could still read my emotions, mixed up as they were.

I was glad he, Runo, Alice and Shun were with me, but I felt guilty that I hadn't been straight with them.

I hadn't told them the real reason I'd said yes to this demented quest.

See, I don't care about Zeus and his stupid lightning bolt or helping my dad out of the hot soup. All I cared about was my mom. She died trying to save me. Hades was going to give her back.

The more I thought about Poseidon, the more angrier I got. He'd never visited, never tried to help out when me and mom were getting bad treatment from the hands of Smelly Ben.

Then, out of the blue, the stupid Oracle kept whispering the prophecy in my head and I kept saying 'Shut Up!' In my head.

The rain showed no sign of stopping, I felt like yelling at the sky (which is Zeus) to stop the stupid rumbling and let us get his fricking bolt for him if it mattered so much to him.

We all got restless waiting for the bus. Every second felt like an hour.

Marucho took out some apples to play Hacky Sack. Shun refused to join in, so did Alice, they just watched me, Runo and Marucho play.

I would've thought we were acrobat masters. Runo could bounce the apple on her knee, shoulder, head, elbow, wherever. I wasn't that behind either.

When I tossed the apple to Marucho, and it got close to his mouth.

He yelped no opened his mouth and swallowed the apple whole. Everything. Core, Stem...

Marucho blushed. He tried to apologize, but we all were too busy laughing.

Even Shun was laughing. We all stared at him and when he realized that, he tried looking like a real adult and looked like he was ready for telling us off, but strangely, he blushed a bit and turned away.

We all cracked up again.

"Not so hard, are you, Shunny boy?" Marucho teased.

Shun mumbled something about 'pain in the arse' and gave a grudging smile.

Finally, the bus came.

Marucho started sniffing the air.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Dunno... Maybe nothing." He shrugged.

But I could sort of say it wasn't nothing... I started looking over my shoulder several times.

We finally got on board and we found seats. It was like this...

Marucho

Me, Runo

Shun, Alice

Marucho was shivering and eating tinfoil cans and I really hoped the other passengers wouldn't notice.

Runo kept slapping her cap of invisibility on her lap and at times, she hit mine.

Suddenly, she bonked me on the lap with an elbow.

"What was that-" I tried asking, but she pointed at the last few passengers coming on board.

With a shock, I realized who they were.

They wore crumpled velvet dresses, laces, gloves, and shapeless orange-knit hats that shadowed their faces, and they carried big paisley purses.

I wondered from where they got all those stuff, but now was not the time to think about that.

The old hag in the front looked up and smiled an evil smile at me.

It was Mrs. Green. She looked more older and withered, but the same evil face.

Her other two sisters looked so similar, I started thinking who was Mrs. Green.

Triplet demon grandmothers. Ok, ok... Cool down...

I scrunched down in my seat.

The three of them sat right at the front. The two unfamiliar sisters of Mrs. Green crossed their legs, making an 'X'. It was casual, but I knew what it meant: No one leaves.

"I thought you said they would be gone for a lifetime!" I complained like a five year old.

"I said if you are lucky." Runo said. "You're definitely not."

"Perhaps he is a bad omen?" Shun suggested.

"Hey!" I protested as Shun shrugged, giving a sorry gesture.

But Marucho wasn't looking at us. He was staring at the three evil, foul, ugly, old Furies.

"All th-three o-of th-them... D-di Imm-immortales!" He stuttered.

"Let's slip out the windows." Alice suggested.

"I'd have said the same if they would've opened." Runo said, trying to pull the window open. "But this stupid, rickety old bus-"

"A back exit?" Shun suggested.

"There isn't one." Marucho said.

Even if there was one, I don't think it would've helped. By this time, we were at Ninth Avenue, Heading for Lincoln Tunnel.

I got an idea and I was getting hopeful.

"Those hags won't attack us, will they?" I asked. "With witnesses watching?"

"Why I'm going around with an idiot like you, I dunno..." Runo mumbled. "We can't depend on mortals. You're forgetting The Mist. Chiron told you about it, didn't he?"

"But they'll see Old Ladies killing us?" I asked.

"It's difficult. We don't know what they can or will see. As I said, we can't depend on them." Runo said after a thought.

We went into the Lincoln Tunnel and it was spookily quiet without the harsh sound of rain.

"I need to use the restroom." Mrs. Green announced as she stood up.

She said that in a flat voice, as though she had rehearsed it very well.

"So do I." Said the other two old ugly hags as they stood up as well.

They all started walking down the aisle.

"I have an idea," Runo said. "Doofus, take my cap."

"Excuse-" I said.

"You're the one they want," Alice cut across me. "Take the cap and go."

"Wait-"

"Turn invisible, go to the front and get away." Shun insisted.

"But-"

"There's a chance they won't notice us. But they will notice you, Doofus." Runo said. "You are the son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be greater than ours combined."

"I can't just leave you!" I protested.

"Don't worry about us, go!" Marucho said.

I felt like a sheltered kid. I felt as though I was a coward. If only I could do something...

But I still took the cap and put it on. When I looked down at myself, I wasn't there anymore. I mean, I was there, but I couldn't see myself.

I started creeping up the aisle. I went about eleven seats ahead and then ducked into an empty seat as the Furies walked by.

Mrs. Green stopped and started sniffing and then she looked straight at me.

I was a nervous wreck. What if she found me?

But apparently she didn't see anything, so she and her ugly sisters kept going.

I breathed a sigh of relief and made it to the front.

I was going to press the emergency stop button when I heard a hideous wailing from the back.

The old ladies weren't old ladies anymore. They had the same evil faces (I guess they couldn't get more uglier or eviler) it their bodies had shriveled up to leathery brown hag bodies with bat like wings and their feet and hands resembled a gargoyle's claws. Their freaky handbags had turned into fiery whips.

The three Furies surrounded Marucho, Runo, Shun and Alice, lashing their whips through the air and hissing : "Where is it?! Where?!"

The other people in the bus were screaming. They all either scrunched in their seats or cowered. They saw something all right.

"He's not here!" Shun said.

"He's gone!" Alice chimed in.

As the Furies raised their whips to strike, Runo drew her bronze knife, Shun took out his bow and arrows and Alice took out her blade and Marucho took out tin cans, preparing to throw them.

What I did next was so reckless and dangerous, that I should be crowned ADHD Kid of the Year.

The bus driver was distracted. He was trying to see what the heck was going on in his rear view mirror.

I was still invisible. I grabbed the steering wheel from him and jerked it to the left.

Everyone screamed as they were hauled to the right. And I hoped what I heard was the Sound of the Furies smashing against the Windows.

"Hey!" The driver yelled. "Hey-Whoa!"

We both were literally wrestling for the steering wheel.

The bus slammed and half skidded against the side of the tunnel, grinding metal, throwing sparks a mile behind us.

We made it out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm, people and monsters tossed around the bus like marbles in a jar; cars plowed aside like bowling pins.

Somehow (maybe Miraculously) the driver found an exit.

We shot off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights, and ended up barreling down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York.

There were woods to our left, the Hudson River to our right, and the driver seemed to be veering toward the river.

Another stupidly great idea: I hit the Emergency Break.

The bus wailed so loudly, I thought I would go deaf.

The bus made a full circle on the wet asphalt and crashed straight into the woods. The emergency lights flared and the door opened.

The driver, screaming like an idiot got off first.

I would've been stampeded by the screaming passengers if I didn't step into the driver's seat just in time.

I turned around as the whole bus was empty. The Furies had regained their balance and were ready to attack my friends.

Runo was brandishing her bronze knife and she was using Greek Cuss words that I shouldn't repeat.

Shun had shot an arrow on a Fury's forehead, where it lodged and it looked like a unicorn horn.

Alice was telling the Furies to back off.

And Marucho was throwing tin cans.

I looked at the open doorway, I was free to get out of here. But I couldn't leave my friends.

I took off the cap of invisibility and yelled, "Hey!"

All three of the Furies turned to me, baring their yellow fangs.

And suddenly, the open doorway was tempting.

Mrs. Green stalked up the aisle to me, the way she used to whenever she was about to deliver my math test paper with an F.

Every time she flicked or slashed her whip, red flames danced around the barbed leather.

Her other two ugly sisters hopped onto either side of the bus seats and started crawling their way to me.

"Daniel Kuso." Mrs. Green said so softly her voice would've been part of the spitting red flames. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."

"I like you better as a math teacher." I decided out loud.

Mrs. Green growled.

Shun, Runo, Alice and Marucho moved up behind the a Furies cautiously, looking for an opening.

I took the ball point pen from my pocket and uncapped it. Drago grew to full size, a shimmering double edged - sword.

The Furies hesitated.

Mrs. Green had had a taste of being sliced by Drago, she definitely didn't like to see it again.

"Surrender now!" Hissed Mrs. Green. "And you shall not face eternal torment."

"Nice try, but I won't surrender." I said.

"Dan, Look out!" Runo screamed.

Mrs. Green lashed her stupid whip around my sword as the two Furies on either side lunged at me.

I managed not to drop Drago. I felt as though my hand was wrapped by molten lead.

I stuck the hilt of the sword on the Fury on the left, and send her toppling backward into a seat.

I turned quickly and sliced the Fury on the right.

She gave a downright scream and exploded into yellow vapor, just like Mrs. Green had when I had sliced her.

Runo had gotten Mrs. Green in a wrestler's hold and she started yanking her backward with Alice's help.

Marucho snatched the whip away from Mrs. Green.

"Ouch!" He screamed. "Hot! Hot! Ow!"

Shun dropped his bow and arrows and he snatched the whip from Marucho.

"Thanks, Shun..." Marucho breathed.

The Fury whom I had slammed with the hilt of my sword, came at me again, but this time, I was ready. I slashed through her and she gave an ear piercing scream as she too exploded to dust.

Mrs. Green was trying her best to get Runo and Alice off her. She kicked, clawed, sneered, scoffed, hissed and even cussed.

But the two of them managed to hold her as Shun and Maruch tied Mrs. Green's legs with her own whip.

Finally, they all shoved Mrs. Green backward into the aisle. (Mind you, I did look painful)

Mrs. Green tried to get up, but she kept falling down because she didn't have enough room to do anything.

"Zeus will destroy you!" She screeched and promised. "Hades shall have your wretched souls!"

"Braccas meas vescimini!" I yelled.

 ** _(A/N: I had to add that!)_**

Do. Not. Ask. Me. Where. The. Latin. Came. From.

I guess it meant "Eat My Pants."

The windows rattled because of the Thunder.

"Out!" Runo yelled at us. "Now! Out!"

I didn't need any more yelling or encouragement. I ran out of the bus and the others followed me.

The other passengers outside were screaming, or arguing with the driver or running around the circles screaming - "We're going to die!" (That was really clichéd.)

A Tourist snapped my photograph with his Polaroid camera before I could recap Drago.

"Our bags!" Marucho yelled over the noise. "We left our stuff in there-"

We heard a Booom! Sound.

The windows of the bus finally exploded as the passengers ran for cover to avoid getting hit by the shards of glass.

The Lightning shredded a huge crater on the top of the bus. And an angry wail from inside told me that Mrs. Green wasn't dead even after all of this.

"Run! She's calling for reinforcements!" Runo yelled at us.

At that moment, we didn't care about our bags, Shun's bow and arrows, not about Alice's blade in there.

We ran head first into the woods as the rain showed no signs of stopping, a bus in flames right behind us and nothing to illuminate the dark path ahead of us.

 **Dan: ...**

 **Me: ... What...?**

 **Dan: ... You... Could've... Killed... Me...**

 **Me: So?**

 **Dan: ... (Depressed)**

 **Me: Looks like Kuso is in** **depression. Anyways, please read and review!**

 **Me: And yes, according to the calculations, I have missed total 4 days of updations. Rest assured I'll update 4 extra chapter soon.**


	11. A Deadly Garden Emporium

Greek Gods. No offense but they make more problems than we already have. In other words, it's great to know that there are some things like Greek Gods. You can at least put the blame on someone and know that some divine guy or lady is trying to spoil your "amazing'' day.

And here we all are, walking along the New Jersey Riverbank. Me, Runo, Marucho, Shun and Alice.

I was still shaken by the event. The bus's rattling windows were echoing in my ears. The Blast of lightning, the thunder... Uhhhh

Alice kept saying: "The sooner we get away, the better."

Marucho was half braying, half chattering and moaning about the tin cans in his bags being the best ones.

Shun and Alice were arguing. It was unusual, but both of them were rambling on and on in Ancient Greek and I inched away from them so as to not probe. (Ha! My word of the day is probe!)

Runo fell in line next to me. She fixed me with one beady eye. I just wished I had some cotton to stuff into my ears... Gods of Olympus... Save me...

"What were you thinking, taking the Steering wheel from the driver?" She asked me crossly. "You could've killed someone!"

"Hey! Not my fault. It's either that or getting blown up." I protested.

"See, I appreciate you coming back for us and all..." She shook her head. "But then the mortals, you could've killed them. And us. Do this when you get a driving license. After seeing your driving, I wonder if you'll even get one."

I started complaining.

And we were in a massive argument about should I have done what I had done or not.

"Yes!" I said.

"No!" She said.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Ye-"

"Shut up!" Marucho said through his chattering teeth.

"We don't want any more attention, you two. Quit it." Shun said, shaking his head.

"You're one to talk, arguing with Alice!" I protested.

Both, Shun and Alice's cheeks turned slightly pink.

"We- we weren't a-arguing..." Alice said in an almost whisper.

"No." Shun agreed.

Marucho wasn't listening. He was braying like an idiot, still shaken by the turn of events.

"All three Kindly Ones... All at once... My tin cans..." He kept saying.

"ARE YOUR TIN CANS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT?!" Runo voiced the thoughts in our heads.

"No!" Marucho protested. "My apples too!"

"Listen up, buddy, I'll give you one advice: Shut up." Runo threatened. "Or I'll throw you to the next monster we see."

Marucho knew better than to argue and kept quiet.

"Did you notice something?" Runo asked me.

"What? Our bags missing?" I asked.

"No. In the bus. The Kindly Ones were hissing and asking: 'Where is it?' " She said. "Not 'where is he?' But 'where is it?' I think they were talking about an-"

But in that precise moment, a sound like some old owl being tortured filled the silence.

Marucho was testing his reed pipes.

"Yes!" He said joyfully. "My reed pipes work! Maybe I can do the 'Find A Path' song."

Marucho played some notes on using reed pipes.

But instead of finding paths, we all found more obstacles in our way. Trees, roots to trip you, you name it.

"Ok... Cut it out, Marucho." Shun advised.

"You're making it worse." Alice said apologetically.

"Aw, but fine... I wanted to play it..." Marucho mumbled.

"Play it when we're dead." I said.

"It's a nice funeral song." Runo agreed.

"Geez, you're all so mean!" Marucho sniffled.

After each one of us tripping and cursing (even Alice cursed, mind you) as we travelled another mile, we smelt food. Fried, greasy awesomely delicious food. No sooner, we saw some neon signs. I was sure it was a fast food restaurant or something.

We walked faster with the smell of the delicious food in our noses. Soon, we reached the place and our hopes fell.

But it wasn't, it was sort of like those place where they sell statues. Like a... What were they called again...? Ok fine, I don't know. Right! A statuary!

The place's name was written in orange and green neon colors. It was a murder to my dyslexic self. And the cursive writing made it worse.

It was something like this: ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM

Okay. I admit it isn't like that. I was seeing the place's name in a different way. But that was the best way I could put it in. And mind you, I'm generous.

"Whoever can read this, please do the honors." I decided.

"Speak for yourself." Runo decided.

Her tone made it clear that she hated not knowing what it said. She hated not knowing the tiniest of things as she said it could be a matter of life and death. Maybe it could be, but don't tell her that I agree with her!

"Er, Marucho?" Alice chimed. "Can you-"

"It says: Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium" Marucho translated.

"It sounds weird." Shun decided.

As said, the place was flanked with a lot of statues. And when I say a lot, it means a lot. (Ok fine, maybe that's clichéd, but still!)

There were people, animals everything.

In the entrance, two clown like people we showing us in with their arms spread. They were smiling. For some reason, it looked as though they were posing for a picture. Maybe whoever made them took the picture of the real people and made it into statues... But that isn't why I'm here.. I'm hungry.

"The lights are on." Alice noted.

"It could be a snack bar." Shun suggested and me and Runo whole heartedly agreed.

"Are you g-guys mad?" Marucho bleated. "This place is- is- giv-giving me th-the Cree-creeps!"

We ignored him.

As we went forward, we saw more statues. We even saw a statue of a satyr, which gave Marucho even more creeps.

"Bla-ha-ha-ha!" He squeaked. "That looks like my uncle.. What was his name again...?"

Alice looked revolted. "You don't remember your own uncle's name?"

"I remember! His name was... Fine... I forgot..." Marucho said.

Shun gave a snort.

Marucho shot him a look. "What?!" He demanded.

"Who would have thought... a genius forgetting something..." I heard Shun mutter.

We kept walking and reached the warehouse's door.

Marucho was trembling, "No..." He advised. "Don't knock... I smell monsters!"

"Your nose may be clogged because of the attack from the Kindly Ones." Runo decided. "All I can smell is food. You're hungry, aren't you?"

"But that's meat! I'm a vegetarian!" Marucho protested.

"You eat cheese enchiladas." Alice reminded him.

"And tin cans." Shun added.

"Those are vegetables." Marucho said, sounding exasperated. "Those statues are creepy and this place is weird."

"All kinds of places like this are weird!" I said to Marucho.

Wrong timing. The warehouse door opened. And there stood a lady I'd never seen before. (Of course I've never seen her before.)

Opps. I just hope she didn't hear me.

I turned.

The lady had blond hair and pink eyes. She was wearing a blue-almost-black gown.

She sneered down on us.

"Who are you blithering kids?!" She shouted. "What are you doing here?! Stealing the statues?! Oh no, I won't have that-"

"We're not stealing your statues!" Runo cut across her. "We just thought that-"

"That you can come and see the statues to replicate them?!" The woman said.

"But I-"

"We're hungry!" I said.

"So?!"

"What he means is we were wondering if you can let us in and-" Shun started.

"Oh no, I won't! I don't want-"

"We just want something to eat. We'll be going on our way when we're done." Alice pleaded.

The woman thought about it. For a moment, I thought there was something like triumph in her eyes, but she wiped it off quickly, and I thought it was my imagination.

"Kazarina?" A woman asked as she came, she had a Middle Eastern accent. "Who is there?"

That Middle Eastern accent lady had a black shawl wrapped around her head and black sunglasses. Which was weird, since it was night, but I thought that she might have some disease or something.

"Five kids." Kazarina said, and I thought I detected an evil-happy voice. "Alone."

"We're orphans." Shun said, sparing us the interrogations of 'five adolescent kids roaming around alone' explanation.

"Orphans?" The Middle Eastern woman asked. "Surely not."

"Our-our caravan!" Marucho squeaked up suddenly.

"Caravan?" Kazarina asked, eyeing us.

"What he means is our circus caravan. The ring master told us to meet up at the petrol bunk. But then I think he either forgot or maybe he meant a different one." I said. "Is that food that I smell?"

The Middle Eastern woman sympathized us. She told us to go into the dinning hall and wait for her to bring us something to eat.

"Caravan?!" Runo asked Marucho crossly after Kazarina and the other lady were out of earshot. "Master of strategies, aren't you?'

Marucho turned red with embarrassment. "Hey! I kind of stop working when I'm scared."

"Not helpful." Shun commented quietly. "You need to keep a cool head. Especially in situations like this."

Before Marucho could retort, the Middle Eastern woman came in with our food with Kazarina in tow.

Go on, call me a moron. Or an idiot. Or a fool. Take your pick. You all would be asking me from where did I get my sense of cautiousness from - eating from a complete stranger's place.

Kazarina set a tray of food in front of us. There were five double chicken burgers, chocolate shakes and French fries.

"Er... We don't have anything to pay you with, miss." Alice said apologetically, yet eyeing the food wistfully.

Kazarina looked ready to kick us out.

"No need for payment, My dears. This is for children after all." The Middle Eastern woman said kindly.

"Thank you, miss." Runo said, looking up at The Middle Eastern woman.

The Middle Eastern woman stiffened for a moment as if Runo had murdered someone or something.

"Quite all right, child," the lady said.

"If you don't mind, miss," Marucho said. "What can we call you?"

"Aunty Em. Or just Em."

We all attacked our food like hungry wolves. Literally.

When we were halfway through our burgers, I decided to fill in the empty silence.

"So, Er- you guys sell gnomes?" I asked.

"No. We sell birds." Kazarina said sarcastically. "Of course we sell gnomes!"

"Statuary is very popular amongst old folks these days, kids." Em explained. "But not much business ever since the highway was built."

"Oh."

"And is Kazarina your relative?" Shun prodded.

"Oh, no, an orphan actually. She was looking for a place to stay and I offered her my home. I had two extra rooms since my sisters passed away." Em said.

Runo stopped eating her burger and peered curiously at Em. "Your two sisters...?" She asked.

Em sighed. "You see, Runo, an evil woman cursed me and my sisters who helped me in reaching a destination… To, er- meet up with someone. Now they've both faded away... You have such beautiful eyes, my dear. It's been so long since I've seen intelligent eyes like yours."

Em let her elbows rest in the table and let her chin rest on her intertwined fingers as she watched Runo.

Runo looked slightly alarmed and unnerved. Shun's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Aunty Em and then shifted towards Kazarina.

Runo pulled my arm. "Dan, I think we should get out of here. I mean, the ringmaster could be waiting for us."

Em sighed wistfully. "Such beautiful and intelligent eyes…. Intelligent, yes…It's been a while now…."

Em reached out as if to pat Runo's cheek in a motherly fashion. But Runo stood up, her bangs covering her eyes.

"We should go." She said more firmly.

Shun and Alice also stood up.

"Yes, the ringmaster won't like it if we're late." Shun stated calmly.

He seemed to be slightly nervous as both, he and Alice were armless and had no shield or anything else.

Marucho was armless since the moment he got out of the camp. Well, if you don't count the tin cans and apples, that is.

Marucho also stood up.

"Let's go, guys!" He agreed ecstatically, chewing on a wax paper. Ew.

I stood up, defeated, ready to go with my friends, even though I wanted to stay here for a while.

Em also stood up.

Runo put a hand on her pocket and I knew that she was ready to get her dagger out to defend us all.

Em took no notice of this.

"Please, dears, stay for at least a picture," Em pleaded. "We rarely have children here to pose for us."

"A… picture?" Runo asked.

"A photograph. It won't take long, Now." Em promised.

"I don't think we can, Mam." Shun said calmly.

"We're sorry, but we really should get going now." Alice added.

Em looked at me, pleading.

I didn't know what to do. I mean, my friends were ready to go without doing a small favor to a woman who had just given us food for free.

"Alright, we'll do it." I said.

Everyone stared at me.

"Excellent!" Em said. "Go and get the camera, Kazarina!"

Kazarina smirked and left the room.

"But, Dan-" Runo protested, but I cut across her.

"It's just a photo, Runo, We just have to pose, alright?" I said.

"Yes, dears, no harm at all." Em said.

My friends didn't look like they liked it, but they agreed.

Aunty Em lead us out the front door while Kazarina stayed back.

We were in the garden of the statues. Aunty Em was positioning us for the picture.

"Marucho dear, I think you should be in between and Alice and Shun on one side and Dan and Runo on the other side…. A bit to the left dears… Yes, that's perfect." Aunty Em directed us.

There wasn't much light for a photo, but when Shun voiced it, Aunty Em said that all that mattered was us being able to see each other.

"Where's your camera?" Alice asked, spotting no camera in Aunty Em's hands.

"Alright, Now, dears, smile! Big and toothy if you please!" Aunty Em cooed.

Marucho glanced at the cement satyr behind him, as though still being reminded of his uncle.

Aunty Em then asked Marucho to look at the front even though she still didn't have a camera.

"Dan-" Runo tried, and something inside me was stirring, trying to get me to listen to Runo and get the hell out of here.

"I don't think I can see you all well through this veil, dears, just give me a moment." Aunty Em said as she started to unwrap her veil.

"That is my uncle!" Marucho exclaimed to us, pointing to the cement satyr.

Runo looked like that was all the confirmation she needed as she exchanged a glance with Alice, who grew pale.

"That's not right, dear, how could you possibly know-?" Aunty Em said as she started to pull the last of her veil down.

"Don't look at her!" Runo yelled at all of us as she put on her invisibility cap and shoved me to the ground and I had enough sense to listen to her.

Shun grabbed Alice's hand and the two of them jumped over the bench and ran behind a few statues at Runo's urges, Runo was far from me as well and Marucho was in the air with his flying sneakers, having yelled 'Maia!'

And me? I was still on the ground, looking at Aunty Em's feet.

I heard a raspy hissing voice above me and saw that Aunty Em's hands were now like a monster's. Gnarled and warty with bronze talons for fingernails.

I almost looked higher, but I heard Runo's voice in my head, promising that she would send me to Hades herself if I looked up even more.

Woah. Why am I imagining her in my head?

I looked to my side a bit and through the glass, I saw Aunty Em's reflection. Her hair… they were writhing like… serpents.

Aunty Em.

Aunty 'M'.

'M' for Medusa.

How could I have been so dumb?

I racked my brain to find out how Medusa died in the myths.

Some hero called Perseus beheaded her when she was asleep. Well, Medusa was no where near sleep right now.

I heard Medusa's earlier friendly voice speak to me. "Dan, you know who turned me to this from a beautiful form?"

She paused, as though waiting for me to answer.

"That accursed Athena, Runo Misaki's mother." Medusa continued. "Always the same intelligence in their eyes. Always."

I heard Runo tell me to get up and run away with my eyes tightly closed.

"Dan, snap out of it!" Shun yelled and I got a feeling that he'd come and get me himself, but he needed to protect Alice and both of them were weaponless. And it would be suicide to come and get me when I was this close to Medusa without being armed.

And Medusa would rip Runo to pieces because of Athena being her mother, so she couldn't even try.

"Stay here with me, Daniel." Medusa cooed. "You, me and Kazarina. We'll make others to statues and crush those of the spawns of Athena. Join me, Daniel. You need not be a pawn of the Olympians like many others were."

Before I could say anything, I heard Marucho yell, "Dan, duck!"

I turned and saw, Marucho diving down, a branch of a tree the size of a bat clutched tightly in his hands, angling to hit Medusa, his eyes tightly shut. I could tell that he was navigating through his ears and nose alone.

"Duck!" He yelled agin. "I'll keep her busy!"

I dove to one side and I heard a _thwack_!

"Take that!" Marucho yelled.

"You bloody goat!" Medusa yelled. "I'll make your statue stand right next to your uncle's!"

"That hit was for my uncle, by the way!" Marucho amended as he moved in for another hit and managed to hit Medusa again, judging by the amount of swear words I heard from Medusa.

I managed to scramble away and hide in the statuary.

Shun and Alice joined me and we were joined by Runo, who removed her invisibility cap.

"Finally!" Alice said. "We'd have come ourselves but we have no weapons." Alice looked grieved at that thought.

"Hey, it's alright, guys. It would be suicide to go near those talons without a weapon, I don't blame you guys." I said.

"I had a weapon, but it won't be good enough in front of Medusa. She'd slice me to bits because of-" Runo said.

"Your mother. Yeah, I get it." I said, nodding. "Well, what's the plan? Run?"

They all looked like they wanted to, just like I did, but we knew we couldn't run. And somehow, we understood.

"I suppose neither of us wants to let her live and continue turning people to statues." Alice said sadly, gesturing to a statue of a couple who were under a tree, cuddling and smiling at each other.

"Yeah. And we're not leaving Marucho." Runo said.

"So the plan is fight." I decided. "But how?"

Runo looked thoughtful.

"Hold on a second." Runo said as she removed a screw from a nearby pedestal and removed a green gazing ball from it.

She gave it to me as I stared at her, wondering what on earth this was about.

Shun nodded in understanding and Alice's eyes widened too.

"Look at her from this glass only, alright?" Runo lectured me. "Don't look at her directly. Marucho has got a good sense of smell, but I'm not sure it will last so long."

"Good luck." Alice said.

"Hey, guys?" Marucho called tentatively. "I think she's unconscious!"

We heard an angry roar.

"Maybe not…" Marucho said, laughing weakly.

I uncapped the pen and my sword grew. Drago looked as good as New despite sending two Furies to Tartarus.

I followed the hissing of the snakes to get to Medusa.

My eyes were locked on the green glass and then, I saw her reflection. She was beyond ugly.

Marucho dived for another hit, but he had swooped too low. Medusa grabbed his stick and swung, sending Marucho through the air and crash straight into the arms of a band singer.

"Leave him alone, you creep!" I yelled as Medusa was about to advance on Marucho and finish him off.

I moved closer. Twenty feet…. ten feet.

"You wouldn't harm me, would you, Daniel?" Medusa cooed.

"Dan!" Everyone's voice yelled and I saw she had lunged for me.

Without thinking, I swung my sword and instantly, I knew I had beheaded Medusa as I heard a gurgling and streaming sound, the sound of a monster disintegrating.

"That's gross!" Marucho said. "That is so gross!"

"Don't move." Runo said, as she came next me, Medusa's veil in her hands, her eyes fixed onto the sky. And as I absorbed her eyes, I saw what Medusa meant.

Her eyes were intelligent and beautiful- wait! No, I did not just say that! No.

Runo carefully bent and wrapped the head in the veil and picked it up.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Fine." I said.

"You guys can look now!" Runo said.

Shun and Alice came back from the statuary and Marucho got down from the band singer's arms and stood next to us.

Runo's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the place where we sat eating our burgers.

"Stay here." She told us, going in with the head and none of us dared disobey her. We'd take on a Medusa than an angry Runo any day. Okay, maybe I'm over exaggerating.

A few minutes later, Runo called us back in and when we went in, we saw Runo place Medusa's covered head in a box and saw a new statue inside. Of one Kazarina.

"What the- I forgot about Kazarina!" I said as I stared at the statue.

"I did too." Shun admitted.

Who wouldn't, after facing Medusa?

"I did too, actually, till I remembered after Dan killed Medusa." Runo admitted. "That's why I asked you guys to wait. She tried to attack, but I opened the veil for her and she became a statue."

Alice winced. "Did you have to turn her into a statue?"

Runo shrugged. "She's been enjoying here while helping Medusa luring innocent people to be turned into statues."

That made Kazarina's punishment worth it.

"Don't you just love Karma?" Marucho asked, laughing nervously as we settled down on the chairs.

"She's a half- I mean, she's like us." Runo informed. "Ran away from camp after not being claimed or something and Medusa took her in and looked after her in return for luring customers into this statue graveyard."

We sat there, trying to clear our heads.

"What are we going to do with the head?" Shun asked, breaking the silence.

"So we have Athena to thank for this monster?" I asked, not hearing what Shun said.

"It's your father actually, Dan!" Runo said angrily. "Medusa was your father's girlfriend! They decided to meet at my mother's temple and that's why Athena turned her into this monster. Medusa and her two sisters later became known as the three gorgons. That's why she wanted to slice me up, but she would've lived here happily with you or your statue. She still has a soft corner for your dad."

"So it's now my fault we met Medusa?!" I asked angrily.

"It's just a photo, Runo, We just have to pose, alright?" Runo said in an imitation of my voice.

"So, about the head-" Shun tried, but I was already on roll.

"You're impossible." I told Runo.

"Oh yeah? You're insufferable!" Runo said back.

"And you're-"

"Guys!" Marucho interrupted. "Let's get to that later! You're giving me a migraine! And I don't think I've ever had one in my life!"

"What about the head?" Shun asked again, coolly.

I was furious. Not at Runo or just her mom. But at all the Olympians. We'd just started this stinking quest and on the first day itself we were almost killed twice.

And what had Medusa said?

 _You need not be a pawn of the Olympians like many others were._

I got up. "Hang on a second."

I searched the back of the warehouse until I found Medusa's office.

Her account book showed her six most recent sales, all shipments to the Underworld to decorate Hades and Persephone's garden.

According to one bill, the Underworld's billing address was DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California.

I folded up the bill and stuffed it in my pocket.

In the cash register I found twenty dollars, a few golden drachmas, and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins.

I rummaged around the rest of the office until I found some tape.

I returned back to where the others were sitting.

I then packed up the box containing Medusa's head, and filled out a delivery slip:

 _The Gods_

 _Mount Olympus_

 _600th Floor, Empire State Building_

 _New York_

 _With best wishes,_

 _DAN KUSO_

"I don't think-" Alice started saying.

"They won't like that." Shun commented mildly.

"They'll think you're impertinent." Marucho said warily.

"I dropped a few coins into the pouch and closed it, making a sound that sounded like a counter closing echo through the room. The package floated up and disappeared with a pop.

"So I'll be impertinent." I said firmly and looked at Runo, waiting for her to criticize me, but she looked pretty used to the fact that I liked ticking off the gods and was quite good at it.

"Come on, we need a new plan." She told us, glancing unconcernedly at the statue Kazarina. "But before we start, Shun, Alice? I think you can rummage through this place for weapons. I'm sure you'll be bound to get one."

 **I UPDATED! Yeah, I deserve to be killed for not updating for almost a year, but I'm really sorry! I have a huge writer's block and I still have it! When I just saw a review and a few PMs begging me to put up the next chapter, guilt kicked in and I managed to finish this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **And I really like reviews! No constructive criticism please!**

 **~ NairaMisaki1234**


	12. IMPORTANT - DON'T IGNORE

**Hey guys, I'm really sorry that this is not an update, but it would mean a lot to me if you would read this whole thing before you close this page. So please, please, please read this till the end!**

 **Ok, starting off, I'm really sorry that I didn't update. It's just that I had a huge writer's block and every time I got inspired to write, I was either at school or I was busy with something else.**

 **The half written chapter 'A Deadly Garden Emporium' has been sitting in my iPad for over a year, and I managed to finish it because I've read your reviews and PMs and guilt kicked in.**

 **And also, I'd like to add that right now I'm in grade 10 and suddenly, we have to study full portions since a new syllabus has come up and stuff (Don't ask…) and it's really stressful. And since you guys know, grade 10 is one of the turning points in our lives and I'd like to concentrate on my studies this year, so basically till March 2018, I'm not sure you'll be getting updates much (I'll do my best though!).**

 **But I promise you guys, my grade 11 will be for you all and I'll be able to update more frequently than I have been able to so far.**

 **Oh, yes, another thing, if you don't like my fanfics and find faults in them, then I please request you to ignore me and my fanfics. Because lately, I've gotten criticism on my 'Bakugan Truth or Dare' fic because it was in script format and that's breaking a rule of FanFiction.**

 **To justify this, first: I was a kid when I came into fanfiction and whenever I see whatever I've written back then, I'm all like: Did I really write this?**

 **Because I found so many errors and better ways to make the fanfics better (I think many of us feel that way as well). But I didn't change them because in those fanfics, I found the enthusiasm I had as a child.**

 **Hell, when I first joined FanFiction, I was so excited and agreed to the terms and conditions without reading them (I don't think I'm the only one though). And my first fanfic was 'Bakugan Truth or Dare'. As a child, I was so excited and pumped up about it and I wrote it in script format. I didn't know that script format was not allowed actually, because there are some types of fanfics which need to be in script format.**

 **So anyways, when I get criticism for my story being in script format, it's just like the person is stamping all over my childish enthusiasm and my love for writing. So I please request you to ignore me and my fanfics if you find faults in them because no fanfic is perfect (There will be a small error somewhere or the other like grammar and that's also a rule) and we shouldn't place boundaries on imagination like that. And it's not exactly easy to see a fanfic you've written be under threat when you've given it your all.**

 **And yes… Speaking of 'Bakugan Truth or Dare'…. I've decided to start publishing the second season after March 2018.**

 **One last thing: Some people review in an anonymous way or as a Guest with rather snide remarks and delete it from the review list shortly. I'll just say one thing to them: I won't be entertaining them with a response and if they don't like my fanfics, just don't read them. (I think some authors have had this problem as well).**

 **If you've read this whole thing, thank you and I hope you leave a response. And you can personally PM me if you want, because I'll be able to reply to them. Thank you all for your support.**

 **~ NairaMisaki1234**


End file.
